Blaze fits pattern
Chief says community help key to catching possible serial arsonist
A fire that largely gutted one St. Philip Street house and damaged another late Saturday could be the work of a serial arsonist, Charleston fire and police officials said Monday.
Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier
College of Charleston sophomore Richard Blank and his mother, Elizabeth Blank, stand in front of the house he shared with roommates on St. Philip Street. The house burned on Saturday night.
The fire at 201 St. Philip was reported about 9:45 p.m. Saturday. It consumed much of the home's first and second floors and the attic before spreading to an adjacent home at 205 St. Philip St.
The fire is believed to have started when someone ignited loose items on the home's porch, a common characteristic in a string of suspicious home fires in downtown Charleston in the past few years, Fire Chief Thomas Carr Jr. said.
Carr said that if the fires are the work of a serial arsonist, tips from the public can help catch the person. "The key is the community and their vigilance."
Police Chief Greg Mullen declined to say how many unsolved fires share similarities or if Saturday's fire is definitely connected.
He said the Police Department has two investigators devoted to solving the suspected crimes but no suspects. "We do not know if it's a single individual or multiple individuals."
To offer tips
Anyone with information about any of the suspicious downtown house fires should call Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.
At least a dozen unsolved blazes fitting a similar pattern have occurred in the area over the past five years or so.
Most of the fires have involved vacant houses or homes occupied by college-age residents within a few blocks of the Crosstown Expressway.
The firebug tends to strike between midnight and 5 a.m., lighting fires on back porches or stairways using available items such as a couch or trash.
Previous story
Officials enlist public to help catch firebug, published 08/31/08
Before Saturday's fire, the most recent one fitting the same characteristics occurred about two weeks ago on Carolina Street, Mullen said.
Richard Blank, a sophomore at the College of Charleston, rented the house where Saturday's fire started, but neither he nor his three roommates were home at the time.
On Monday, Blank and his mother, Elizabeth Blank, assessed the charred home and expressed relief that no one was harmed.
Elizabeth Blank said it sickens her to think that someone may have intentionally set the fire. "With the beach house fire, it really hits home," she said, referring to the October 2007 blaze that killed seven college students in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.
Reach Ron Menchaca at rmenchaca@postandcourier.com or 937-5724.
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Comments
This article has 5 comment(s)
Posted by islandbenzbc on January 6, 2009 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That's right Chief Mullen...the public will have to solve this because your officers are too busy talking to illegal alien groups, writing speeding tickets, policing art walks, and saving the city from tailgaters!
Posted by oldglory on January 6, 2009 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Police Chief Greg Mullen declined to say how many unsolved fires share similarities or if Saturday's fire is definitely connected."
Chief Mullen, I think the arsonist knows how many fires he (probably statistically) has started, but the general public should also know how many the police estimate. It's important. If the public thinks there may be just a few fires, the public will not be concerned. But if the public were told fifty fires, for instance, the probably would be a bit more vigilent, wouldn't they?
This on-going crime is just as important as murder and rape, to name a couple. If this person continues this pattern, someone innocent will be tragically hurt. I believe these fires have been reported for over a year now. Is now not the time to get outside expert assistance on solving this crime? I know those experts are able to come up with a profile which would certainly be a big help for you as well as the public.
Posted by myinput on January 6, 2009 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For years the only fire investigator in Charleston was CFD's own Chief Classen (appointed by Rust T of course)which was a joke at most firehouses. In his eyes every fire was an electrical short or blamed on the homeless. Most major fire departments have their own highly trained arson team that work solely on solving arson cases. How can the CPD find this arsonist if their staff have to include arson in with all the other crimes in Charleston? I am in hopes that Chief Carr will consider forming his own arson team that can work with the CPD and other FD's to find this jerk before someone gets hurt really bad or worse. But in the mean time, the public really needs to be on the lookout for this person and report anything unusual that they see in their area.
Posted by mp123 on January 6, 2009 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How about an ordinance that bans couches and other highly flammable materials form outside porches. It would help to prevent these types of fires and also be a welcome relief for the neighbors who have to look at these college rental eyesores.
Posted by whome on January 6, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hmm. house was purchased in July 2006, the height of the housing bubble. my guess is that the insurance investigators figure this out before the police does.