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Homeowner: Firefighters burning vacant homes overnight

One homeowner confronted the fire chief after firefighters set a vacant house on fire on purpose; she showed him the video on her cell phone

KTVI

VENICE, Ill. — A family of six wakes up to feel the heat from a fire next door, then they found out it was no accident.

The fire department reportedly set the fire on purpose and a homeowner says she has hidden camera — proof. The fire was set at an abandoned home on Abbott Street in Venice, Illinois. Laronda Mathis lives next door and captured video on her cell phone. She described it as waking up to “hell” as she woke her five kids and ran.

Almost every window she said cracked that night, pop, pop, like fireworks said 5-year-old Jayden. A couple neighbors, who did not want to be identified, said they saw the fire department set the fire. They said it’s part of a regular plan to burn abandoned homes in the middle of the night.

Full story: Alleged program burns abandoned homes in the middle of the night

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