Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)
Copyright 2006 The Topeka Capital-Journal
Arsonists this year have been responsible for more than 60 fires and $609,000 in damage to buildings and their contents, according to Topeka Fire Department officials.
Statistics provided by the fire department show that 66 of the 141 fires reported in the city as of Wednesday have been incendiary, or started intentionally.
Fire investigator Mike Martin said the department’s computer software wasn’t set up to track arrests made in connection with fire investigations, but a review of Shawnee County Jail logs from March through Wednesday showed eight people had been booked into jail in connection with arson during that time.
Martin said the arson numbers were high for a city the size of Topeka and noted that in 2005 Topeka had 93 incendiary fires while Wichita reported 96.
To be on the same level with a city twice its size isn’t good news for Topeka, he said.
Topeka Fire Chief Howard Giles said the department’s ability to identify arsons has been enhanced by the addition of an accelerant-sniffing canine to the fire investigation squad and the practice of having investigators on staff around the clock.
Boomer, the accelerant-sniffing dog, joined the department in January and has been credited for locating details investigators may otherwise overlooked, Martin said.
Giles said fire officials and city leaders planned to meet with neighborhood representatives to educate residents on what to do to lower the incidents of arson.