East Chalmers fire ruled arson

Arson Fire

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A fire at a 203 E. Chalmers Ave. home earlier this week has been ruled an arson. Capt. Kurt Wright of the department’s Fire Investigative Unit said cameras at the home captured the man investigators think started the fire, which began about 9 p.m. Tuesday on the front porch. Wright said three cameras show a man walk onto the porch with a gas can, from which he then poured the contents on the porch and the fire started. No one was injured in the fire, which caused about $6,000 in damage. If anyone has information, they can call the Fire Investigative Unit at 330-782-0055 or the Detective Bureau at 330-742-8911.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A fire at a 203 E. Chalmers Ave. home earlier this week has been ruled an arson.

Capt. Kurt Wright of the department’s Fire Investigative Unit said cameras at the home captured the man investigators think started the fire, which began about 9 p.m. Tuesday on the front porch.

Wright said cameras show a man coming and knocking on the door. After receiving no answer, the man leaves, then returns with two other people about 10 minutes later.

Wright said three cameras show a man walk onto the porch with a gas can, from which he then poured the contents on the porch and the fire started.

No one was injured in the fire, which caused about $6,000 in damage. Reports noted that there was a strong odor of gasoline when crews arrived. Police needed to be called because a large crowd was hampering efforts by firefighters to put out the fire.

Police detectives said the fire may be linked to the shooting death of Richard Macklin, 22, who was found about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday in the upstairs bedroom of a home in the 200 block of East Philadelphia Avenue.

Police were called to the home because relatives said they had not seen Macklin for several hours and were worried about him. A door was kicked in, and a landlord found Macklin’s body.

Police have not said why the fire may be linked to the homicide, only that a “person of interest” lived in the East Chalmers Avenue home.

If anyone has information, they can call the Fire Investigative Unit at 330-782-0055 or the Detective Bureau at 330-742-8911.