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Greenfield police investigating multiple suspicious fires

UPDATE (07.11.19 10:30 p.m.): A series of suspicious fires in Greenfield is putting fire and police on alert right now.

Authorities say they have all happened within the last week, and the fire chief says some of them could have caused serious damage.

Staff at Rite Aid in Greenfield off of Walnut Avenue tell KION residents saw a couple of people set a wooden pallet and garbage area on fire behind the store on Thursday in the morning.

“Two gentlemen were involved. We don’t have much more information than that, that’s all the fire department gave us,” said Jesse Thompson, a Rite Aid asset protection agent. “They fled the scene in a vehicle that the caller did not recognize. And that’s all we have really going.”

Greenfield Fire Chief Jim Langborg tells KION this is one of at least five suspicious fires in the town since last Thursday.

“We’re seeing certain trends in locations and how they’re being set,” he said.

One fire was started in a vacant field near some houses. Another fire happened in a bathroom at Mary Chapa Academy, and Langborg says someone had to have broken into the school to do this.

“My worry as the fire chief is that…one of these fires is going to take, it’s going to catch a building on fire that’s going to cause a lot of damage, a lot of property loss and, in a worse case scenario, the occupants could be injured or even killed,” said Langborg.

“It’s very strange how particularly isolated… there are no items nearby, nine o’clock in the morning, it’s not necessarily because they’re cold. It might have been just for fun,” said Thompson.

A Greenfield police investigator with expertise in arson and fires is now on the case. The fire chief says on top of damaging property and potentially hurting someone, starting fires like these steal the resources and time of the fire department.

But they highly suspect most of these fires were started by the same person or people. It is nothing anybody wants to see right now.

“Especially how dry it is out here and the wind speeds, it’s exceptionally dangerous this time of year,” said Thompson.

Investigators will continue looking into the rationale behind these fires in hopes of catching those responsible.

If you see anything suspicious or have any information, you are encouraged to call Greenfield Police at 831.674.5111

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The Greenfield Fire Department said in a social media post that there have been multiple suspicious fires in the city, and now police are investigating.

The fire department said the fires have happened in alleyways or other low traffic areas, but said the fires could have caused serious damage, injuries or deaths.

Greenfield Fire said Greenfield police are investigating the fires. If you have any information, you are asked to call Greenfield police at 831-674-5111.

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