LAWTON, Okla_After a string
of arsons that have plagued an old Lawton
neighborhood over the past year, the Lawton Fire Marshal's office said they now
believe one person may be responsible.
Fire marshals
have investigated several fires this year, 11 of them within a one-square mile
zone from 11th Street
to Railroad and Lee Boulevard
to Gore. While many of those have been ruled accidental, five of them remain
open arson cases.
Fire
investigators are still collecting information. As of now they are searching
for someone they believe could have information that would lead to an arrest.
So far, only vacant or abandoned homes have been set on fire, but fire marshals
worry the suspected arsonist could turn his attention to occupied homes and put
people's lives in danger.
Boarded up
homes, cleared lots and even charred remains can be found up and down the
streets of the neighborhood all left behind after homes or structures were set
on fire.
"You know
especially structure fires, it's not something that happens on a regular basis,"
Investigator Chris Woodall said.
But it is
something that Lawton Fire Investigator Woodall said is happening all too often
along these streets.
"In the
same part of town, I've made myself I can think of two different arrests in
regards to people setting fire in that area."
He said so
often investigators were forced to take a closer look.
"It seems
like there's more here than meets the eye if you will, and that's when we start
looking at it as a group."
He said this
area is an easy target since many structures are left to fend for themselves
and are at the mercy of criminals including arsonists.
"The
structures in that area are older, they're not as well maintained, and it's
harder to find people to occupy those places whether it is families or single
people."
A vacant
structure was the most recent arson target within the neighborhood. Woodall
said occupied, or not, when a fire is set, a lot is on the line.
"It can
sure spread into neighboring houses and possibly injure or kill somebody."
That particular
fire leveled that building and spread across the alley and set a fence on fire
and even downed power lines. It took firefighters some time to reach since
their fire engines couldn't fit down the narrow alleyway.
The fire
marshal's office is working with the police department on this string of
arsons. They ask if you have any information to call Crimestoppers at 355-INFO.
