Warren officials investigate two more arsons

Staff report

WARREN

Investigators say they believe a 10:49 p.m. Tuesday fire that caused $55,000 damage at 558 Kenmore Ave. NE was intentionally set in the basement.

A Warren police report says the back door of the home was open and water was running in a sink when firefighers arrived to fight the fire. It appeared someone had broken into the house, police said.

The fire also caused damage to the siding of a house next door, but there were no injuries, Fire Chief Ken Nussle said. The house “may have been vacant,” Nussle said.

Neighbors called police Monday night to say that three males in hooded sweatshirts were near the house. The same males also were seen there earlier Tuesday, police said.

Poilce searched but did not find the males Monday night, a police report says.

A 2:40 a.m. Wednesday fire at a three-story vacant house at 827 Elm Road NE caused about $35,000 in damage, Nussle said, adding that he doesn’t know whether the fire’s origins are suspicious. No one was hurt.

Firefighters also extinguished a suspicious Hamilton Street Southwest house fire at 10:27 p.m. Tuesday. It was the fifth suspicious house fire on Hamilton Street in the last three weeks, Nussle said.

Tuesday’s fire, at 1456 Hamilton SW, was three blocks east of the other Hamilton Street fires. It caused $20,000 damage and apparently started on the first floor. The home is a total loss, Nussle said. No one was injured.