June 24, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Pair of Weekend Fires Said to Be Arson

A pair of vacant house fires over the weekend have been labeled by Shreveport Fire Department investigators as arson . . .

The first fire occurred Saturday in the 2100 block of Southern Avenue. When firefighters were called out at 3:56 a.m. for the report of a house fire in the Fairfield Neighborhood they found the structure totally involved in flames. Fire crews from the nearby Wilkinson Street and Fair Grounds stations were able to bring the blaze under control by 4:20 a.m.

The second fire was started just a few hours later at 719 Rentur Street in the Eden Garden’s neighborhood of South Shreveport. Firefighters initially received a call reporting a building fire next to the Mount Olive Baptist Church at 5:20 a.m. When crews arrived on the scene they found a single story wood frame home next door to the church and along the fence line of Caddo Middle Magnet school engulfed in flames. The structure was vacant and took firefighters more than 15 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Fire investigators have listed both fires as having been intentionally set. There were no utilities connected to either home and signs of arson were found by investigators upon inspection of the burned out structures. Both were listed as total losses by department officials. The Shreveport Fire Department is asking anyone with information on these or any other arson crime to please contact their Arson Investigation Division at 673-6740. Simple arson is a felony offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison. ###