Mo. city deals with rash of intentionally set fires

The fire department has dealt with 28 set fires since mid April

May 23, 2012 03:51 AM

By Marshall White
The St. Joseph News-Press

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Tuesday morning’s fire joins the growing list of intentionally set fires in 2012.

This incendiary fire was set inside the front door at 2834 S. 20th St., said Bob Blizzard, a St. Joseph Fire Department inspector.

Damage was estimated at about $40,000 in the vacant brick structure, Mr. Blizzard said.

St. Joseph firefighters were dispatched at about 3:10 a.m. Tuesday with a report of the one-story house on fire.

“I don’t know what nice neighbor called, but mother and I are glad they did,” said Lana Babcock.

The mother, Ernestine Babcock, and daughter have a house their family has lived in since the 1950s. Their home is right next to the roof that was on fire.

“We’ve called the city several times about this house,” said Steve Haskey, a neighbor who lives up the street from the vacant house.

Firefighters were seeing a lot of smoke from about Ninth Street and arrived to see flames showing, said Bob Bangerter, the battalion chief. Lines were run in the front and back of the vacant brick house, Mr. Bangerter said.

The fire was out in about 20 minutes.

“Now it’s just a matter of catching all the little stuff,” Mr. Bangerter said.

By mid-April the fire department had responded to 28 deliberately set fires in buildings, vehicles or Dumpsters. A number of those incidents involved fires allegedly set in vacant homes. On May 11, a fire in a Dewey Avenue house spread to the homes on both sides of the house.

Investigators weren’t able to determine the origin of that conflagration. But Tuesday’s fire joins the growing list as incendiary fires in vacant structures.

With the growing trend, the St. Joseph Fire Department continues to urge residents to report suspicious activity in their neighborhood and maintain a watchful eye on empty houses.

Arson/Investigation