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Is an arsonist at work in the city? |
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Written by Lethbridge Herald
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Tuesday, February 16 2010, 9:22 PM |
Lethbridge regional police are investigating the possibility that one person may be responsible for a recent rash of arsons in the city.
Since last Thursday night, seven fires have been deliberately set around the city, causing more than $30,000 worth of damage.
“Police are investigating whether these fires could be the work of one person, however the possibility there are multiple suspects working together or alone hasn’t been ruled out,” said Kristen Harding, police spokesman.
“There has been considerable property damage, but fortunately no one has been injured.”
But with such incidents, she added, “there’s a significant potential for harm, and that’s concerning.”
The four most recent arsons have occurred in the same northside neighbourhood. At about 2:30 a.m. Monday, fire damaged two vehicles as well as the roof and siding of a home in the 2500 block of 15 Avenue North. At around the same time, police responded to the 1400 block of 24 Street North where a tree had been deliberately set on fire.
Early Sunday, a utility trailer was set ablaze in the back yard of a home in the 2400 block of 15 Avenue North. While searching the area for clues, police discovered a plastic dumpster which had also been damaged by fire.
In addition, early Friday evening, police and firefighters attended a fire which had been deliberately set in a dumpster behind Bert & Mac’s in the 1100 block of 1 Avenue South.
The first of the seven incidents occurred late last Thursday night when a pile of pallets was set on fire downtown in the alley behind the Catwalk Salon in the 600 block of 3 Avenue South. The fire was reported while police were already at the scene of another suspicious fire nearby.
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