Another Pennsylvania Avenue Arson

I want to thank Allan Yeagley for reaching out to me with these photos. Some might ask, ‘Why another post on arson? So another vacant property on Pennsylvania Avenue burned down… they were on the demolition list anyway.’ Just in case it’s not clear: arson is not the preferred method for demolition. It puts lives at risk–not just those of residents and neighbors, but also firefighters. Not only that, but it sets a dangerous tone for the future of the neighborhood. Why would an investor choose to rehab homes or rebuild a park where whole blocks are destroyed by arson?

This particular fire is now the fifth home on the block destroyed by fire in as many weeks. The fire happened on the west side of Pennsylvania Avenue around 2am on the morning of November 28. If you like early-morning/late-night walks, it seems 2am is the witching hour to spot someone with a torch.

If you haven’t done so yet, please convene a meeting with your neighbors and talk about how you can patrol. YPD Officer Swanson of the Crimestoppers unit meets regularly with block watch groups across the city and welcomes your call at 330-742-8812. He’ll be happy to offer suggestions of how you can pull things together and will come out and meet with your group.

Meanwhile, if you spot suspicious behavior, call the police. If you have information about arson activity that leads to an arrest, you may be able to claim a $2,000 reward. You can contact YFD Arson Investigator Captain Ware at 330-747-7403 (main YFD number).

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