Warren firefighters probe 3 possible arsons in 2 days

Staff report

WARREN

The Warren Fire Department is hitting the streets and interviewing residents of the area on either side of West Market Street on the city’s west side after three suspicious house fires there in the past two days.

In all three cases, people were home at the time. All escaped unharmed. Damage was minor in all three cases, but two of the homes were boarded up.

Fire Chief Ken Nussle said because of the patterns involved in the three fires – similar method of starting them and them being close together – it appears they were all set by the same person or people.

“It is a scary situation,” Nussle said.

The first fire was about 11 p.m. Tuesday at 1529 Front St. SW.

A flammable liquid was poured around the house’s foundation, and the fire self-extinguished, Nussle said.

The second one was at 4:01 a.m. Thursday at 291 Dickey Ave. NW, in which a flammable liquid appears to have been poured around the outside of the house.

The fire extended to the inside of the dwelling, but the three adults and two toddlers in the house got out. Firefighters extinguished the fire.

While firefighters were still working the Dickey Avenue fire, they were called to a home at 2161 Hamilton St. SW for a similar fire. A female was in that home.

Firefighters don’t know if an accelerant was used that time, but it appears the fire was intentionally set on the outside, Nussle said.

Because firefighters were nearby, they got there quickly and put the fire out quickly. The fire caused exterior and interior damage.

The two homes involved in the fires today were boarded up, and the Red Cross was called to provide assistance and shelter.