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Bend, Oregon, Hit With Seven Arsons in Small Area

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All Within a 4-Block Area

BEND, OREGON, FIREFIGHTERS WERE STRUCK with seven fire calls within a few minutes time, all in the same small area of the city, early Wednesday morning beginning at 2 am.  A historic church, three other structures, two automobiles and a wood pile were all reported burning and a heavy mutual -aid call went out.

Bend Bulletin

It was almost immediately deemed suspicious activity, but the fire marshal has not yet officially classed them as arsons.  The Bend Bulletin reports:

A wing of Trinity Episcopal Church, 469 N.W. Wall St., and its St. Helens Hall, 231 N.W. Idaho Ave, were struck by fire around 2 a.m., according to department spokesman Larry Medina. Another five sheds and garages in the surrounding block and two automobiles were also burned, he said.

Bend Bulletin

A passerby reported the fire at Trinity Episcopal at 2:13 a.m. The roof of the west wing had been opened and blackened by fire; debris littered St. Helens Place. Across the street, St. Helens Hall, roped off by crime scene tape, was off limits to the volunteers who showed up to inspect the damage. The hall, formerly a Lutheran church, houses the Community Counseling Center and The Family Kitchen, a nonprofit that feeds as many as 200 people daily, said program director Cindy Tidball.

Medina said the Fire Department treats the scene as an open investigation. He would not characterize the fires as arson, although a fire captain described the fires as arson while closing off the scene to bystanders. Medina said agents from the department, the Oregon State Police, state fire marshal and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were taking part in the investigation.

KTVZ-TV filed this video report:

 

KTVZ has more HERE.

Hat tip:  Dave R.

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Posted by on March 7, 2013 • Filed under: arson, fire, Videos • Tagged: , ,

3 Pittsburgh FF’s Burned From Flashover at Arson Incident

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Fire Started by Mental Health Patient

A PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, HOUSE WAS heavily damaged Monday morning when a "mentally disturbed" resident of a group home next door set it alight.

WPXI-TV

Witnesses say that they saw James Casson, 18, sitting on the roof of his residence lighting towels on fire and throwing them onto the roof next door.  His actions caused the roof to catch on fire and it spread into the third floor attic as the residents slept unaware of their house burning.

Casson, center, is taken away by police  (WTAE-TV)

When the FD arrived they pounded on the door to arouse the residents, but the owner thought somebody was trying to break in and he called 9-1-1.  The dispatcher told him that his house was on fire and he should get out.

As the hose crew was operating in the attic, a flashover occurred that caused 2nd-degree burns on three of them.  One of them also had a broken bone in one of his hands.  The entire crew safely made their way back out of the attic.

The fire went to three alarms but was contained to the upper floor of the house.  Damages are estimated at $200,000.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports:

Detectives say they don't have a motive. Mr. Casson told them he awoke to the smell of something burning and noticed a fire on the roof next door. He alerted a staff member at the home, who said she couldn't see anything and urged him to go back to sleep. When the smell persisted, Mr. Casson claimed he climbed onto the roof and tried to throw water onto the fire before he jumped onto the fire escape and tried to alert the other residents of the home, Detective John Gilkey wrote in a criminal complaint.

"He kept saying that he was the 'Hero,' " the complaint says.

But after detectives informed Mr. Casson that a witness saw him light at least three towels and throw them, he "became very upset and belligerent and requested a lawyer," the complaint says.

KDKA-TV filed this video report from the scene:

 

The group home is operated by Residential Care Services and has been there for 20 years without incident.  They have 24-hr. supervision with regular bed checks and work to help the patients develop self-reliance and life skills so that they can move back into society at large.  Casson had been a resident for only about a week before this incident.  He is currently being held in Allegheny County Jail under charges of arson, risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.  If he is released for any reason, he will not be permitted to return to the group home.

Read the full report in the Post-Gazette HERE.

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Posted by on September 18, 2012 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Considerate Arsonist Warns Neighbors to Get Out

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It's Her Boyfriend She Doesn't Like

STEPHANIE KRAUSER, 52, OF NORWOOD, Ohio, warned her neighbor in the over/under duplex that she lives lived in that they should leave their home because she was setting the place on fire.

Krauser

Krauser had been having a spat with her boyfriend all evening Sunday and when he left their apartment early Monday morning, she sprung into action.  After getting the fire stoked she went downstairs to begin the evacuation procedure by waking up the residents.  When the Norwood Fire Department arrived on the scene they found fire showing in the second-floor and attic.

Cincinnati Enquirer photo

WKRC-TV filed this video report shortly after the fire was put out:

 

Krauser is being held on aggravated arson charges.  The house was a total loss.

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Posted by on August 28, 2012 • Filed under: arson, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Fashion-Challenged Teen Head-Butts Mom Before Burning Her House Down

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Home Destroyed Over Broken Cell Phone

A TAMPA, FLORIDA, TEEN (who is 6-ft. tall and weighs 275 lbs.) got into an argument with his mother Saturday over a cell phone that he claimed she had broken.  In a rage, he grabbed her by the wrists and head-butted her on her forehead twice.  She managed to run out of the house and drove away in her car before reporting the assault to the police.  Shortly after, the officers arrived and arrested Aldwin Chyrstian Caceres, 18, charging him with domestic violence.

After posting bail early Sunday, he returned home and found his mother was not there.  A witness told the police that he saw Caceres pour gasoline on his mother's bed and two couches in the living room before lighting them on fire.  The resulting blaze gutted the modest home and the cops went looking for him once again.

WTVT Ch. 13 filed this video report:

 

According to the police, Caceres admitted to setting the fire before he was charged with 1st-degree arson and placed in jail without bond.  "He's going to get help, too, because he is sick. Something is wrong with him, but I don't know what," his mother told BayNews9.

BayNews9 has the story HERE.
The Tampa Tribune has more DETAILS HERE.

BayNews9

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Posted by on April 23, 2012 • Filed under: arson, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Crime: Arson in Connecticut – Part Three

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Crime: Arson in Connecticut

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Three, Conclusion - The Result
(Begin with Part One HERE  Part Two is HERE.)

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Court transcripts from the various criminal proceedings, the civil suit against Moeller, the insurance proceedings and various appelate processes indicate a total of some $68 million in claims for damages resulted from this arson. That alone would place it as the largest arson in US history, at least as of it's occurence.

rare photo of Charles Moeller taken in 2006
(Chattanooga Times-Free Press)

The City Of Shelton suffered extensive damages to it's economy. The losses and hardships of both the families affected by the direct loss of employment at Sponge Rubber as well as those who suffered financially due to the ripple effect of those job losses are almost incalcuable. The City of Shelton is occupied by a strong breed of folks who won't take it lying down. The people and, to the most extent possible, the industry have rebounded. The determination of the city fathers to revitalize downtown Shelton can only be admired as it has now passed through generations since this tragedy. Some new industry has been attracted and new projects replace the once decaying landscape in the area of the fire. It has taken 37 years to date. The fire services of the Shelton area and the Shelton Fire District are to be fully commended for maintaining award winning volunteer companies. The Echo Hose Hook And Ladder Company, The Huntington Fire Company, Pine Rock Park Fire Company and the White Hills Fire Company are outstanding examples of professional management in the fire service. The Shelton Fire District is comprised of over 225 dedicated volunteers among the four companies.

A Postscript Comparison

Just over 20 years following the Sponge Rubber Products disaster in Shelton, Connecticut, a massive fire of verified, accidental origins destroyed the Malden Mills textile plant in Lawrence, Massachusetts on December 11, 1995. A boiler exploded in the mills powerhouse which ruptured gas lines. Lawrence and responding fire agencies fought the blaze throughout the night and were left with the total devastation of Malden Mills by the next morning.  Seven hundred workers were on duty at the time of the blast and several thousand more would lose their jobs as a result. The loss was valued at over $300 million dollars.

Malden Mills fire  (Robt. Gordon Adjusters)

Mr. Aaron Feuerstein, the President of the company founded in 1906 and run by three generations of his family, vowed to rebuild the plant and promised to continue paying each and every employee effected their full wage together with benefits and insurance until the plant was operational. And he did just that. At a cost of $25 million dollars of his personal fortune, Mr. Feuerstein stood on the premise that while a company must make money for it's shareholders, it too had a responsibility to it's employees, the environment and the community. Malden Mills was one of two textile companies that chose not to move south for cheaper labor and continued operation with a union contract. Mr. Feuerstein was hailed by the union representatives as one of the most compassionate businessmen they had dealt with in negotiations.

Aaron Feuerstein
(Rick Friedman photo)

The damages to the former Malden Mills facility brought forth a $300 million dollar settlement from insurance carriers to which Mr. Feuerstein added an additional $100 million of his own funds and debt to build a world class facility. Sadly, in 2001, Malden Mills, due to the high cost of reconstruction and the onslaught of cheap Asian goods, entered Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The company emerged under the control of GE Capital which of late has refused Mr. Feuersteins offer to repurchase the 105 year old firm.

The Question

What brings one man to the point of engineering a potentially murderous arson for hire of his own enterprise at the expense of an entire generation of a community? The potential in this crime for mass casualties was enormous. Notwithstanding the fact that the guards and boiler operator were taken from the site. The callous disregard for human life and safety ran all the way from the idiots Moeller hired and paid (according to the civil court transcripts) to commit this crime up to Moeller himself. Moeller's sentence? Zero time served, of course. The sentence for the people in and surrounding Shelton? 37 years and counting.

Then, what brings a man such as Mr. Feuerstein to the point of risking his entire personal fortune to rebuild his legacy following an accidental fire and expressing in dollars and cents, in sweat and blood, the compassionate caring for a community, it's people and their contributions to both his family and the greater good?

I don't have the answer. Maybe there is no answer. But the contrast, the stark polarity of these two disasters is inescapable.

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Posted by on April 6, 2012 • Filed under: history, Parquette • Tagged: , , , ,

Crime: Arson in Connecticut – Part Two

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Crime: Arson in Connecticut

A Historical Vignette
by Tom Parquette

Part Two of Three - The Backstory
(Begin with Part One HERE)

Charles Moeller regularly discussed his business dealings and problems with David Bubar, who, by both of their admissions was Moeller's friend, psychic, spiritual advisor and consultant. Actually Bubar was a misplaced, ordained Baptist minister from Memphis. According to Court briefs available surrounding the various trials, both criminal, civil and appelate Bubar, at Moeller's request, set out to arrange the arson destruction of Sponge Rubber Products. Since closing Sponge Rubber Products would mean Moeller would have to come up with $13.8 million through Grand Sheet to pay off the debt, thus saddling his other holdings with the load, arson was an interesting concept, especially with over $60 million in insurance on the line.

City of Shelton photo

Many meetings were documented to take place in a variety of locations to pull together the arson team. This included meetings in elevators, rest rooms and restaurants from Connecticut to New York. The chauffeur driven limo of Sponge Rubber Products was used to ferry the arsonists in to visit the plant which they would eventually fire bomb. Moeller, it was proven, flew to New York to hand deliver a $20,000 payment to David Bubar. Of course, Moeller claimed it was payment for other services including, in various testimony by Moeller, watertreatment services, payment for Mr. Bubar's psychic services, a loan to Bubar, a gift to Bubar and payment as a water saving expert to Bubar. Take your pick. Moeller did.

On February 26, 1975 Bubar arranged to have lime delivered to the plant on a truck. The 'lime' was contained in fibre barrels. The same type of fibre barrel which Bubar would use to load in the gasoline for the arson on March 1. This almost backfired though when the guards turned the truck away saying they already had more lime than they could use. Bubar intervened and the truck got into the plant. Bubar later managed to get the arsonists into the building under a ruse that they were doing a telephone survey. But, on that day, employees were conducting a Saturday month-end inventory and spooked the arsonists by their presence. Bubar delayed, the employees left the plant, the truck was unloaded and the 25 barrels of gasoline were distributed throughout the plant. The arsonists set the dynamite and detonating cord in place. Bubar then left separately to pick up three additional arsonists and smuggle them into the plant by hiding them behind the seat of the company car he was using. These three became the kidnappers.

The three arsonists hiding in the plant kidnapped and secured the guards and the boilerman, set up the timing on the explosives, made sure everything was ready and then left the plant with their captives. Plant Four exploded at 11:35 pm March 1, 1975, as planned. The arsonists, minus Bubar who had left for LaGuardia Airport, drove their captives to an adjoining town and tied them up. The FBI was involved due to bluster by the arsonists regarding the Weathermen group. But later information from the FBI at trial indicated they (the FBI) didn't believe there was any Weatherman connection to the fire starters. Just bluster and last minute bull as a mindless cover for the captives.

City of Shelton photo

According to Court records, A total of $60,000 was to have been paid to the arsonists for the event. Apparently Moeller stiffed his own crooks out of $20 grand, because forensic accountants could only track $40 thousand being paid. The forensic accounting firm of Campos & Stratis was retained to perform one of the most ambitious forensic accounting investigations in history. The proof seemed clear. Ten people went on trial in criminal court on charges of arson in the Sponge Rubber Products Company fire. Eight Pennsylvania men, Psychic shill David Bubar and Charles D. Moeller. The trial lasted nineteen weeks. Moeller was acquited in the 1976 trial in U.S. District Court. One of the eight pleaded no contest and received no sentence. Seven of the perpetrators were sentenced for various terms ultimately serving from four to seven years. Bubar was sentenced to 20 years and served seven. State authorities later charged Moeller, in 1983, under Connecticut law. He was tried. He was acquited again, in state court. Since the threshold for guilt or conviction is higher in a criminal case than that in a civil trial, the insurance companies involved pursued Moeller in a civil action for arson. Moeller was found responsible for the torching and explosion of Sponge Rubber Products. This freed the insurance company from paying any of the $60 + million which Grand Sheet and Moeller were trying to collect through years of litigation. Moeller appealed this civil court verdict but the appelate court upheld the verdict against him. In the civil trial, Moeller went on the record through Grand Sheet claiming Bubar, who agreed to testify against Moeller, was mentally disturbed, upset because Moeller was seeing a different psychic and Bubar was chagrined because Moeller refused Bubar's investment advances. Go figure.

The trials of Moeller attest to the resolve of investigators as to his guilt. Picture the O.J. Simpson debacle and you can get a slight glimpse of the pursuit of Moeller. Acquitted in criminal court, "convicted" in a civil action.

City of Shelton Business Development Corp.

Mr. Moeller has continued to operate his various enterprises throughout the years since the Shelton arson which the civil court found him responsible for. Through all of this, another mystery befell Mr. Moeller on August 14, 1976. According to Spencerville Ohio Fire Chief Lyman Mulholand a large barn at Moeller's Ohio cattle ranch together with a large quantity of hay and some sheep were destroyed when a fire of undetermined origin was reported by a relative of Moeller's who had come to check the farm. Apparently Moeller was away at the time of the fire's discovery. Mr. Moeller has maintained a very low profile for an allegedly diverse businessman in that he has refused all interviews, photos or other exposure regardless of his business interests since the Shelton disaster.

Tomorrow:  Part Three – The Result

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Posted by on April 5, 2012 • Filed under: history, Parquette • Tagged: , ,

Fatal Fire Update – UK

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Suspect Questioned

THE TRAGIC FIRE IN LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND, this past weekend that killed four siblings has been determined to be an arson.  (See the Firegeezer report from Sunday HERE.)  The fire began in a closet in one of the attic bedrooms where all four victims were sleeping.  There was very little fire damage, but heavy smoke generated from the small fire.  The coroner has reported that all four victims died from smoke inhalation.

This Wednesday the police arrested Dyson Allen, 18, on suspicion of murder and held him for questioning.  He was released on bail today and is now at an undisclosed location out of the county while waiting to be recalled for further questioning.  He is believed to be a friend of Reece Smith, 19, who was one of the fire fatalities.

This earlier candid photo of Dyson Allen
was released to the press.

The house had four smoke detectors installed, but none of them were working Saturday night at the time of the fire.  Four-year-old twin girls and a 2-yr.-old boy also perished.  The Daily Mail adds:

(Detective Chief Inspector Neil) Esseen added: 'Obviously, given that we now have a man under arrest, I cannot go into details about certain aspects of the investigation.

'However, what I would say is that we are at the very early stages of a major investigation and are following a number of different lines of inquiry. At this stage it is still unclear as to what happened in the lead-up to the fire starting.

'I would renew our appeal for anyone with information that could assist our inquiry to come forward. This is a tragic incident and our thoughts remain with the family at such a difficult time.'

The officer would not be drawn on whether the suspect in custody was a guest at the party held at the house on Saturday night.

 ITN has posted DCI Esseen's press statement:

 

The Daily Mail has more details and an extensive photo display in their updated report HERE.

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Posted by on January 13, 2012 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, investigations • Tagged: , , ,

Update: Arson Arrests Made – Industrial Fire Burning in Illinois

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Former Clock Factory Complex

Update, 1 pm Eastern:  Early video added
Update #2 – Arrests made for setting costly fire.  Scroll down.

A FIRE BROKE OUT RIGHT AT MIDNIGHT SUNDAY MORNING in Peru, Illinois, at the former Westclox watch and clock factory complex.  The beginning and advance of the fire was witnessed by thousands of people at New Year's parties who could see the flames running in the massive industrial site.

AP / News Tribune / Amanda Whitlock photo

The formidable complex of 44 buildings occupies a 2-block by 4-block area in downtown Peru, located in north-central Illinois.  The fire was still burning out of control at daybreak and some nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

The fire department calls the incident a 'very large fire" and there are units from many other departments in the region on the scene.

At the time of this posting there is no further information on this working event.  Firegeezer will update later when reports begin to come out.

The Westclox company made watches, clocks and time movements but is most widely known for their Big Ben and Baby Ben tabletop alarm clocks.  They were also the first clock company to develop and produce the "snooze alarm."  The plant was shut down in 1980 and production moved to China.  Westclox has since been sold and resold to investment firms.  Many of the buildings are currently being used by an assortment of businesses.

The Associated Press has this EARLY REPORT.

Update, 1 pm Eastern:  This early home video has been posted:

 

Update #2 – Arrests made for setting the fire.   The Associated Press is reporting:

Police have charged two teenagers with setting a fire at a massive former clock factory in the northern Illinois city of Peru.

Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei said at a news conference Sunday that a 15-year-old Peru boy and 17-year-old LaSalle boy have been charged with aggravated arson for the blaze at the former Westclox clock complex.

He says the 17-year-old is charged as an adult and that the charges were elevated against the two because a firefighter was injured.

The firefighter's injury was to his knee that required emergency (unconfirmed) surgery for a fractured femur and severed tendon.  No details have been released on that yet.

The evacuation order was lifted at 11 am Central when the fire had mostly burned itself out, according to the fire department spokesman.

The main building of the complex was a landmark of the city and eligible for Historic Landmark designation by the government.  The roof and walls have completely collapsed, destroying the structure.

Westclox Factory circa 1902

Update #3, 4:30 pm Eastern:
The LaSalle News Tribune is now reporting:

Two teenage boys were arrested and jailed on suspicion of arson just 2½ hours after fire was discovered at midnight Saturday roaring through the old Westclox factory in Peru. Steven Gallagher, 17, of La Salle and a 15-year-old boy from Peru each face a charge of aggravated arson, Peru police chief Doug Bernabei said Sunday.

The arson charge was elevated to "aggravated" because a firefighter was injured in the response, Bernabei said. The charge is a Class 1 felony, with a base sentencing range of 4 to 15 years in prison.

The two boys allegedly entered the Westclox building, found a gas can, poured gas on a boat stored inside, set it on fire and left, said La Salle County state’s attorney Brian Towne. An anonymous caller gave Peru police a tip that led officers to find and arrest the suspects, Towne said.

Gallagher appeared Sunday morning for a bond hearing in La Salle County court in Ottawa before Circuit Judge R. James Lannon, Towne said. Lannon set bond at $250,000 and set Gallagher’s next hearing for Thursday, Towne said. Gallagher needs to post $25,000 in cash to be released from La Salle County Jail.

The 15-year-old was being held in juvenile detention in Ottawa and will appear Tuesday before Associate Judge Daniel J. Bute for a temporary detention hearing, Towne said.

Update:
Radioman911.com has posted the FD radio traffic from this fire at www.justin.tv/dekalbfeed/b/304256568 .

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Posted by on January 1, 2012 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Washougal Standoff Update #2

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Third Body Recovered

INVESTIGATORS HAVE RECOVERED THE BODY of the third occupant of the house in Washougal, Washington, that was set afire last Wednesday, December 7.  The deranged homeowner had a cache of guns and ammunition and kept the police at bay while he burned down his house.  See the extensive Firegeezer video report HERE and the first update HERE.

Monday the Washougal Police Department announced that the body of Leona Stanbary's twin sister Mona Dougherty has now been recovered and identified.  The day after the fire they had found the charred bodies of Steven Stanbary and his wife Leona Bolton-Stanbary.

Mona Dougherty (left) and Leona Bolton-Stanbary  (KGW-TV)

The police also disclosed that both women most likely died of gunshot wounds before the fire began.  Steven Stanbary's cause of death has not yet been determined.

Steven Stanbary (undated mugshot)

Another new disclosure in this incident is that Steven was supposed to have turned himself in to the police the day after on Dec. 8, to answer some charges for sex crimes.  A spokesman said that it involved allegations of repeated incidents of abuse. They declined to say whether the case involved more than one victim or what the connection was to Stanbary.

The Columbian has this latest information along with more details of the unfolding events that day, including more about the police officer that was fired on by the shooter.  CLICK HERE for the entire article.

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Posted by on December 13, 2011 • Filed under: arson, current events, Fire Rescue Topics, News • Tagged: ,

Nursing Home Fire Update

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Nurse Held Without Bond

THE REGISTERED NURSE WHO WAS arrested and charged for the arson at a Sydney, Australia, nursing home Friday has been identified.  Police have disclosed that Roger Dean, 35, has been charged with murder and arson in the one-story nursing home where he worked.  He had been seen earlier on television news reports as he told the journalists that he had helped evacuate  patients as the fire was raging inside.

Dean had been working at the Quakers Hill Nursing Home for about two months.  He had resigned from his previous job at another nursing home following a dispute with the management.

Dean is shown at the 0:45 mark on this earlier video report:

 

He has been charged with four counts of murder, but is expected to also be charged with a fifth following the recent death of one of the survivors.  There are still 32 victims hospitalized with 14 of them in critical condition.  Police are not commenting on the specifics of the arson nor disclosing the motive, if any.

9News has the STORY.

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Suspect Had Been Interviewed by Police Just Prior to Fire

It has been disclosed that Dean had been interviewed by Sydney police just a few hours earlier in connection with his previous work location.  Co-workers there had filed a complaint against Dean and the officers were investigating it.  While talking to Dean at his home Thursday evening, the officers were called away on an emergency leaving the interview incomplete.  The fire was set Friday morning around 5 am.

The Sydney Morning Herald adds:

The deadly blaze took hold at the nursing home, about 500 metres away from Mr Dean's townhouse, just before 5am on Friday. It is believed one fire was set with a cigarette lighter on bed sheets in an unoccupied room. The second fire was set in a room believed to have been occupied.

At the scene on Friday morning, Mr Dean told reporters: ''I just quickly did what I could to get everyone out. The smoke was just overwhelming.''

Dean pictured outside the fire building sucking in
taxpayer-supplied oxygen during the incident.  (AFP)

However, later that evening he was arrested at Mount Druitt police station after a police inquiry that involved interviews with nursing home staff members.

Police said it was expected to take some time to piece together what happened, after two fires were believed to have broken out in separate wings of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home in the early hours of Friday.

The 100-bed facility had three separate areas for high-care residents, low-care patients and those staying in respite care. There were 87 residents in the home on Hambledon Road when the fire broke out. Two people died in their rooms, while a third died after being rescued from the home. A fourth person died in hospital on Friday afternoon and the fifth died yesterday morning. The bodies of the two residents who died in the home were removed on Friday night.

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Posted by on November 20, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fires, Major Incidents, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Updated: FF’s Targeted by Arsonist in Vegas

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House Fire Was Booby-Trapped

Update, Monday AM:  Police looking for vandals who have been using the house.  Scroll down for updated info. and video.

A FIRE IN A VACANT HOUSE IN NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nevada, Saturday afternoon has been classed as an arson.  On top of that, there is evidence that mortal harm to the responding firefighters was intended by the arsonist.

KTNV-TV

The call was dispatched around 4 pm Saturday and the responding units from North Las Vegas and Las Vegas found smoke showing.  When they forced entry through the front door, they were met inside with a device or set-up that appears to have been set to harm the firefighters.  The investigators are not disclosing what the device or layout was that is suspicious.

KTNV-TV filed this video report this morning:

 

The fire was located on the 2nd floor and was quickly extinguished.  Damage was minimal, but the entire house was smoked up.  The FD is estimating the loss at $100,000.

The NLVFD spokeman said that all efforts will be made to find the arsonist and if he is caught, he will also face attempted murder charges.

KTNV-TV has the DETAILS.

Update, Monday AM:

Neighbors are telling investigtors that there has been continuous activity in the house from nearby adolescents who have been using the vacant building as a "party house" for a long period of time.  The home was foreclosed on two years ago and has been vacant ever since.  A few months ago somebody bought it for $40,000 but made no effort to secure the property.

The investigators are not saying what they found that indicates the deliberate attempt to kill, but insist that the crime will include attempted murder charges.

KTNV-TV filed this updated video including views inside the house:

 

KLAS-TV has additional video and more information HERE.

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Posted by on November 13, 2011 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Firefighter Arrested for August Arson

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Another "bored" firefighter

A CEDAR GROVE (Wisconsin) FIRE DEPARTMENT volunteer firefighter was arrested Monday and charged Wednesday with setting  barn on fire August 9.  The blaze destroyed the barn and an outbuilding and left hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.  Besides losing his building, the farmer also lost a lot of farming equipment and tractors, most of which is uninsured.

Sean Bradley

Sheboygan County investigators say that Sean Bradley, 26, got into a car and brought along a container of charcoal lighting fluid, then drove around looking for a place to start a fire.  When asked why he wanted to do that, he said he was bored and wanted some activity.  After first making sure there was no livestock inside, he poured the lighter fluid on the floor and set it afire.  He claims that he immediately had a change of heart and tried to put the fire out with his coat.  Thinking it was extinguished, he left and while driving away he tossed the lighter can out the car window.

The fire was not extinguished, though, and the barn burned down.  During the investigation of the fire, the discarded lighter fluid can was found.

The case was cracked when the investigators were able to track the container back to Bradley.

WITI-TV Ch. 6 prepared this video report:

 

The Sheboygan Press has the full STORY HERE.

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Posted by on November 10, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Arsonist Sentenced Ten Years Later

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Convicted On Manslaughter Charge

THE PRIMARY CULPRIT IN ONE OF Toronto, Ontario's most famous arsons was finally sentenced late last month to serve 12 years in prison for manslaughter and conspiracy to commit arson.  The building that burned is regarded as the largest single-building fire in Toronto's history and made additional headlines several days later when the body of the man who set the fire was found in the basement of the fully-burned out store.

John Magno and his two brothers Frank and Carlo, owned the large hardware store in the Woodbine area of the city that was a neighborhood landmark.  The business was started and built into a successful operation by their father.   But they wanted to expand by moving to another location and then using the old property to build condominium apartments.  After getting a quote for the cost of demolishing the original building which was still open for business and fully stocked, they decided to take another route.  They contracted with two criminals, Sam Paskalis and Tony Jarcevic, to torch the business on Christmas Eve, 2001.

Paskalis and Jarcevic arrived with two other men shortly before midnight in two vans and loaded them up with some selected goods for themselves and one of the vans then drove away.  The others went to the basement and then poured gasoline around the stock before trying to light it off, thinking that the gasoline would simply burn hot and set the entire store ablaze.  Instead, the vapors ignited and a thunderous explosion blew the building apart and rousted the entire neighborhood.

Toronto Sun

The Toronto Fire Department responded with six full alarms and mounted a valiant and successful attempt to contain the fire to the Woodbine Building Supply store.  The responding units found a badly-burned Paskalis wandering the neighborhood, but nobody else was around.  Before the ambulance reached the hospital, Paskalis slipped into a coma and didn't come out of it for several months.  It was just before that when Magno attempted to cash in on a fire insurance policy claim for $3.5 million that had just been bumped up a couple of months before the fire.

It was two weeks after the fire when the investigators finally worked their way down into the basement searching for the cause when they discovered the charred corpse of Jarcevic.  They were able to make a case against Paskalis after he regained consciousness and convicted him on arson charges while preparing to file a 2nd-degree murder count later.  After spending a year in jail while suffering unbearable pain from his injuries, Paskalis made a plea deal with the prosecuter to have his charges reduced in exchange for his confession and full story of who did what.

Sam Paskalis  (Toronto Star)

After years of court procedings and motions, the Magno brothers were finally brought to trial with Frank and Carlo tried and convicted first.  John, who was the ringleader and planner, was convicted in 2008 but not sentenced until last month.

John Magno arrives at court for
his sentencing last month.  (National Post)

The National Post has a complete and detailed report on this complicated case HERE.
The Vancouver Sun reported last month on the sentencing and included some other updates HERE.

Hat tip to Mark Donovan for assistance.

Ten years after the fire, the only thing remaining from the family fortune
that Dad built is this hole in the ground that remains on Danforth Avenue.
(Google Street View)

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Posted by on October 17, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, history, Law & Justice • Tagged: , , , , , ,

6-Alarm Apartment Arson in Massachusetts

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Firefighters Rescue 15 – Suspect Already Identified

Update:  Additional video added.  Scroll down.

A SIX-ALARM FIRE STARTED IN A BOSTON, Massachusetts, apartment building early Monday morning that destroyed most of a 42-unit brick building that occupies an entire city block.

Boston FD photo

Shortly after midnight a large explosion occurred that started a large fire and trapped many sleeping residents in the building.  When the first units began arriving at the Roxbury neighborhood, the firefighters found dozens of people in distress and fifteen of them were rescued by the firefighters.  In some cases, small children were dropped out of windows of the 3-story building into the arms of neighbors below.

Lieutenant Glenn McGillivray, one of the first firefighters on the scene, told the Boston Globe "We had heavy fire blowing out the first-floor windows, heavy smoke pushing out windows on floors two and three, and there were nine people hanging out of windows and on ledges".

NECN-TV has this early video report from the scene:

 

The cause of the explosion and fire was readily determined when shortly after it started a man showed up at a local hospital with 3rd-degree burns on his arms and muttering to the hospital staff that he "blew up his house."  He has been taken into custody and charged with arson of a dwelling and multiple counts of attempted murder. Damage to the building was said to be about $3 million.  The fire officials are saying that the man deliberately damaged the natural gas line feeding his kitchen range and allowed his apartment to begin filling with gas before he ignited it.

At least 13 people including two firefighters were injured in the blaze.  The fire was marked under control at 6 am but is still burning at the time of this posting.  Check back later for updates.

The Boston Globe has more details and some first-person accounts of the rescues HERE.

WBZ-TV has filed this video report:

 

WFXT-TV posted this video:

 

Massive fire destroys Roxbury apartment building: MyFoxBOSTON.com

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Posted by on October 17, 2011 • Filed under: arson, explosion, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Arsonist Destroys Several Townhomes in Ontario

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High-Dollar Loss to Nearly-Completed Construction

FIREFIGHTERS IN AJAX, ONTARIO, WERE DISPATCHED Monday night to a major fire in a townhouse complex at 9:40 pm.

CP24 / Ethier

They found a large blaze that involved several units that were under construction in a complex that had many already-occupied homes.  CP24 News reported:

It took crews about 90 minutes to bring the blaze under control.  During that time, police evacuated a townhouse complex across the street as a precaution. About 20 people were forced from their homes.

Durham Regional Police said the construction project was nearing completion because the building was framed and shingles and windows were installed.

Global Toronto

Investigators are still working on getting evidence for the suspicious fire.  Six units were destroyed and six more had extensive damage.  The builder estimates the loss to be $2.5 million.  The fire marshal said that a completed firewall kept the blaze from spreading into another section.

CTV has a video report HERE. 

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Posted by on October 12, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fires • Tagged: , ,

Downtown Arsonist Strikes Twice Overnight in Tulsa

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No Suspect Yet

TWO FIRES LATE SUNDAY AND EARLY MONDAY in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, are both considered arsons.

The first fire was around 11 pm Sunday night when it was set outside a vacant structure.  There was a negligible amount of damage caused by it, though.  About five hours later, at 4 am another fire in the same area was reported at a cabinet and furniture business.

KOTV Ch. 6

The Tulsa World reports this morning:

When they arrived, firefighters found heavy fire coming from inside the building toward the rear of the structure.

The electrical system was arcing due to the fire, so crews had to back off until the power could be turned off, (Admin. Chief Jeremy) Moore said. It took crews about 30 minutes to get the blaze under control.

Investigators were able to determine that the fire started somewhere outside the building where there was sawdust piled up toward the back of the business, Moore said. Investigators also believe the fire was intentionally set, he said.

A business in the adjoining building had extensive smoke damage as well.

Investigators have not come up with any suspects yet.

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Posted by on September 12, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fires • Tagged: ,

Another Firefighter Arsonist Arrested

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Charged With One, More Charges Pending

WMUR-TV / Davenport

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE FIRE MARSHAL arrested a former volunteer firefighter yesterday (Thursday) and charged him with one count of arson.  John Colcord, 18, was arraigned and taken to jail where he remains while investigations continue.  The fire marshals say that Colcord is connected with 13 arsons that have taken place this year and they are expecting to file more charges against him.

John Colcord – MySpace photo

Colcord was until recently a member of the Madison VFD, but he voluntarily left the department last month.  Madison Fire Chief Rick Judkins said that Colcord was a member for less than 2 years.  The arsons all took place in and around the towns of Madison, Eaton, and Freedom.

The Concord Monitor has the STORY.
The Conway Daily Sun has MORE.

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Posted by on September 2, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , ,

Teacher Nailed for School Building Arson

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Career Change Imminent

A LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SCHOOL TEACHER was arrested Monday and charged with setting a fire in May that destroyed the school district's headquarters building.

Omaha World-Herald

Sharon E. Brewster, 44, a "gifted education coordinator and reading recovery" teacher, resigned from her job yesterday and surrendered to police who arrested her on suspicion of first-degree arson, a class 1 felony that carries a 50-yr. prison term.  The fire knocked out the district's computer and email system and destroyed every paper document stored by the school system.  The total damages reached $20 million.

Sharon Brewster

Brewster is suspected of setting the fire in a cubicle not far from her own desk during an evening when several other employees were also working in the building.  She was located at the scene by her electronic employee's badge that records everyone's entry and exit at the building.  The authorities are not making public her motive for the arson.

KMTV Ch. 3 has this video report:

 

The Omaha World-Herald has the DETAILS HERE.

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Posted by on August 16, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Breaking – Arson in Asheville

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Story Released at 2 pm Eastern

NORTH CAROLINA NEWS MEDIA ARE REPORTING:

A report released by the North Carolina Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms bureau says the fire that killed an Asheville firefighter was intentionally set.

Citizen Times photo

The July 28 fire at the Medical Office Complex Building is being investigated as arson.

Fire Captain Jeffrey Scott Bowen was killed in the fire. Several other firefighters were also injured and had to be treated at local hospitals.

More than $20 million in damages was reported due to the fire. No further details about how the fire started were released.

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Posted by on August 4, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: , , ,

Groom Sets Castle on Fire – Marriage Already Shaky

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Rage Over Caterer's Bill

A GROOM IN CHESHIRE, ENGLAND, BECAME ENRAGED over the bill for the wedding reception costs at the castle where the big event was held and set a fire that destroyed 25% of the interior.

100 firefighters worked the fire for most of all day Sunday  (Daily Mail photo)

The Peckforton Castle is a medieval-style country house built in 1840 that has been converted to a high-dollar reception center and hotel.  It is popular for full-service wedding parties where the nuptuals are held followed by a grand reception and providing classy hotel rooms for the guests.

Early Sunday morning an alarm of fire was dispatched for the castle at 4:45 am bringing 20 fire companies to the scene for a major blaze in progress.  The fire had started in the Drawing Room, the largest public area in the castle, and spread throughout the entire 3-story wing gutting one-quarter of the building.  About 70 guests were evacuated safely by the hotel's night staff to the courtyard.

Unhappy Campers
The former friends of the newlyweds spent half
the night shivering in the courtyard.  (Daily Mail)

A Cheshire Fire & Rescue spokesman said, "The fire was extremely fierce, and with the castle’s wooden floors and wooden furniture it took a number of hours to bring it under control.  Crews were able to prevent it spreading to the rest of the castle, however, and due to the thickness of the walls it is hoped that the building will still be structurally sound."

Later Sunday morning the groom was taken into custody by the police and is being held in the police station for questioning.  Several people have said that he had a row earlier with management over the cost of the bill that was presented to him.

The Daily Mail has more details of the STORY HERE along with some background history of the castle.

The owners of Peckforton told the Daily Mail that they estimate the damages to reach $1.6 million.  The 36-yr.-old groom is being held under suspicion of setting an arson with intent to cause bodily harm.

Peckforton Castle is a luxury wedding venue, hotel and sometime-movie set.

Hat tip:  Mark D.

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Posted by on June 20, 2011 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

11-yr.-old Arrested on Arson Charge

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Burned Out Multi-Family Residence

WNYW-TV image

NASSAU COUNTY, LONG ISLAND (New York), police say that an 11-yr.-old boy used a cigarette lighter to start a fire in a garage Saturday.  Detectives say that the boy set some plastic packing material on fire in the garage and then fled.  The fire set the entire garage ablaze and it spread to the house on the property causing major damage.  Five Long Island fire companies responded to the blaze.

WNYW-TV Ch. 5 filed this brief video report:

 

The unidentified juvenile was arrested later Saturday and charged with arson.  He was released into his mother's custody and scheduled to appear in family court on June 17. 

There were no injuries reported, but twelve people were left homeless.  The boy did not live in the house that burned.

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Posted by on June 6, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Flaming Cotton Balls Bring Felony Charges

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These People Did NOT Want To Go To Jail

A MAN AND WOMAN ARE IN JAIL this morning following a bizarre confrontation with the police in Brevard, North Carolina, Saturday night.  It was just after 5 pm that several neighbors in an apartment building called on the police to report a man acting "strangely."  While responding, the three officers learned that this strange man also had an outstanding arrest warrant.

Michael Kitchen

When they arrived at the apartment and knocked on the door, an elderly woman opened it and they could see their subject, 32-yr.-old Michael Kitchen inside.  After Kitchen refused to respond to their order to step outside, the officers then entered the apartment and apprehended him, but they had to force him to the floor to handcuff him because he tried to fight his way free.  WYFF-TV picks up the story from here:

As the officers attempted to bring the man under control with handcuffs, Harris said a 25-year-old woman came in. Harris said the woman then retreated to a bedroom and came out a few seconds later with some type of liquid.

"She threw it on the officers. The officers had no clue what the liquid was," Harris said.

(Next) the woman then took out a lighter, lit a cotton ball and threw it toward the officers, who were still on the floor trying to handcuff the man. The flaming cotton ball fell short of the officers, but ignited the apparently flammable liquid that had landed on the carpet.

"One of the officers said the flame was burning toward them," Harris said. "He had enough time to stand up and back away. It was like a scene from a movie." In the process of avoiding the fire, the officers lost control of the man, who then ran into the bedroom with the woman (who was later identified as Natasha Sinclair).

Using a fire extinguisher and their feet, the officers put out the fire and at the same time noticed smoke coming from the bedroom.  They ran outside, broke out the window and pulled the couple out where the naughty pair resumed their fighting with the police.  They were soon subdued and taken into custody while the FD responded to put out the bedroom fire.

Natasha Sinclair

Nasty Natasha wasn't finished yet, though.  While in the back of the cruiser, she slipped out of her handcuffs and damaged some equipment in the car. 

WSPA-TV Ch. 7 filed this video report:

 

It was later determined that the flammable liquid used was the same type as lantern fuel.

Sinclair was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, first degree arson and assaulting a government official/employee and is being held in the Transylvania County Detention Center.

Kitchen was charged with resisting a public officer and assaulting a government official/employee. He was also detained on the original warrant and then later released on a $6,000 bond.

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Posted by on May 16, 2011 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Mall Arson Uncovers Bomb Plot

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Devices Failed to Detonate

A SET FIRE AT THE SOUTHWEST PLAZA shopping mall in Littleton, Colorado, Wednesday led to the discovery of two homemade bombs that were obviously meant to detonate in connection with the fire.

Fox News is reporting:

The first device was found at about 11:50 a.m., when a mall employee noticed a fire in a hallway near the food court, the witness told Fox 31. The worker immediately contacted security officers who began evacuating the sprawling indoor shopping center.

The employee said the device was attached to two camping propane tanks, neither of which exploded.

The Jefferson County Bomb Squad responded and later found a pipe bomb in the same hallway,

A bomb squad robot was sent into the mall to try and mitigate the pipe bomb, but when it tried to activate it, the bomb just fell apart.  After the initial hazard was removed, the mall's security tapes were reviewed and they show a man entering the mall through a non-public entrance that leads to the fire stairs and the mall employees' area.  The FBI has released two frames from the tape along with a description for the public in an appeal for help in identifying the man.

He is described as a white male with graying hair and a silver mustache. He was wearing a dark cap with a light logo on the front, along with a shirt with gray and white horizontal stripes, dark jacket with silver buttons, blue jeans, and dark shoes.

KDVR-TV Ch. 31 posted a good video report from the scene:

 

Update:  Thursday morning, the FBI released a third photo of the suspect:

KMGH further describes the photos:

The man is seen carrying a white plastic shopping bag that appears to be a Target bag.

A Target store is located just to the west of the mall and has its own security camera video system. Investigators have gone to that Target and have talked to managers about purchases at that location and potential connections to this case.

Read more on the incident at KDVR's website HERE.

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Posted by on April 21, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,

Marriage Plans Put on Hold?

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Daddy-to-Be Torches Baby Shower Presents

A SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, MAN IS IN JAIL after being charged with felony arson Friday night.  Kevan Smith, 22, and his pregnant girlfriend share a bedroom in his sister's dwelling, a 2-family wood frame house.  Earlier in the day, Friday, Smith and his girfriend had an argument  and he set a baby bib on fire that was one of several baby shower gifts that they had received.

YNN image

Smith, thinking that he had extinguished the burning bib, tossed it back onto the pile of presents and left the house.  The Syracuse Post-Standard picks up the story:

Smith’s sister, Nicole Grome, told police she was watching television in the two-family home at 2930 S. Salina St. when she smelled smoke coming from her brother Kevan Smith’s bedroom.

When she went to the room, Grome said she saw a pile of baby clothing on fire. When she couldn’t put out the fire, Grome ran outside the home and called 911 at about 2:20 p.m.

Three people escaped unharmed from the first-floor apartment after the fire broke out, said Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Cavuto. Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes of their arrival, he said.

The fire burned out the bedroom and the room directly over it.  Smith is still being held in jail on a $10,000 bond.

WSYR-TV Ch. 9 filed this video report:

 

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Posted by on April 10, 2011 • Filed under: arson, fire, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , , , , ,

FF-Arsonist Trial Gets Underway

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Former Fire Chief’s Wife Goes on Trial

IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, A FORMER VOLUNTEER firefighter and wife of the Orangeville FD fire chief entered the  county courthouse in Bloomsburg Wednesday to begin her defense on arson charges.

Two years ago Kristen Strausser and her boyfriend were arrested and charged  with arson and conspiracy for targeting elderly citizens’ homes to set afire so that they could respond and make “heroic rescues.”  The charge that she is being tried on this week is for setting a house on fire that was occupied by a couple who are in their 80′s and were both critically injured in the blaze.

Colton has admitted setting this fire that critically injured
the two occupants who are in their 80′s.  The prosecution
claims that Strausser participated in this arson.

Strausser, who was married to the VFD’s fire chief at the time, was reputedly having an affair with another firefighter Colton Barrett who was also charged with the crimes.  He was tried and pleaded guilty last year to setting three homes on fire and Strausser was implicated in all three.  (See the news report on the arrests from May 12, 2009, HERE.)

WNEP-TV Ch. 16 filed this video report on the beginning of the trial yesterday:

  

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Posted by on January 27, 2011 • Filed under: arson, Fire Rescue Topics, Law & Justice, Videos • Tagged: , , , ,