By Doug Page
The Dayton Daily News
DAYTON, Ohio — Three suspicious fires at vacant houses Monday illustrate the growing danger that residential arson presents to neighborhoods.
“You have vacant houses? Yes, people should be concerned,” Fire Chief Herb Redden said after the fires.
The fires damaged six buildings and displaced 10 people in houses next to the three vacant structures that burned to their foundations.
Redden’s three arson investigators have handled 129 arsons so far this year, three below all of last year. In the past 30 days, 18 residential arsons or suspected arsons have been reported.
The Dayton Daily News last month reported vacant structure arsons caused $2.1 million in damages in 2009, or 44 percent of the $4.8 million in estimated fire losses in the city. An estimated 70 percent of the 473 arsons the past two years involved vacant houses or garages behind those vacant houses.
After Monday’s fires, investigators knocked on doors on the first block of Springfield and the 2100 block of East Third, seeking witnesses.
“People need to give us a call and tell us who we are dealing with. They can remain anonymous,” Redden said.
Officials said it appeared fires were set at 2143 E. Third, 64/66 Springfield and 85 Springfield. The first two severely damaged neighboring houses, which were occupied.
Shantell Lewis, 31, picked through the remains of her apartment. She, her two children and their mastiff-shepherd mix made it out after “Big Sam” started barking.
“It’s so dangerous. We might not have made it out of there,” she said.
Shantell Lewis lives next to one of the houses that firefighters suspect was burned by an arsonist early Monday on Springfield Street. Her family had to flee. “I don’t understand why someone would do this. It’s so dangerous,” she said.
Copyright 2010 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.