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Ariz. firefighters accused of starting blazes
The Arizona Republic
Four volunteer firefighters of the Ehrenberg Fire District were arrested Monday in connection with at least 15 arson-caused fires in the unincorporated area near Blythe, Calif., according to the La Paz County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities believe the suspects, between 19 and 23 years old, sparked the fires to make money. Ehrenberg firefighters are paid for each call they fight.
“To increase the call level, they set their own fires,” Lieutenant Glenn Gilbert of the sheriff's office said. “They were the ones that responded to put them out.”
Deputies also arrested two people who were not firefighters and are searching for four former firefighters who no longer live in Arizona, Gilbert said.
The suspects have been linked to 15 to 20 fires in hay stacks, wild lands and unoccupied structures since January 2008, Gilbert said. Investigators believe they could be responsible for as many as 35 fires.
“We've known for the past couple of weeks that everything was leading back to the Ehrenberg Fire Department,” Gilbert said. “Everything came together yesterday.”
He said authorities interviewed one suspect who led them to several others.
No injuries were caused by any of the fires, but Gilbert said they were potentially very dangerous to the residents of the small community.
The six suspects were booked into the La Paz County Detention Facility in Parker. Gilbert said deputies know where to find the four former firefighters who are still outstanding.
The Arizona Republic
Four volunteer firefighters of the Ehrenberg Fire District were arrested Monday in connection with at least 15 arson-caused fires in the unincorporated area near Blythe, Calif., according to the La Paz County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities believe the suspects, between 19 and 23 years old, sparked the fires to make money. Ehrenberg firefighters are paid for each call they fight.
“To increase the call level, they set their own fires,” Lieutenant Glenn Gilbert of the sheriff's office said. “They were the ones that responded to put them out.”
Deputies also arrested two people who were not firefighters and are searching for four former firefighters who no longer live in Arizona, Gilbert said.
The suspects have been linked to 15 to 20 fires in hay stacks, wild lands and unoccupied structures since January 2008, Gilbert said. Investigators believe they could be responsible for as many as 35 fires.
“We've known for the past couple of weeks that everything was leading back to the Ehrenberg Fire Department,” Gilbert said. “Everything came together yesterday.”
He said authorities interviewed one suspect who led them to several others.
No injuries were caused by any of the fires, but Gilbert said they were potentially very dangerous to the residents of the small community.
The six suspects were booked into the La Paz County Detention Facility in Parker. Gilbert said deputies know where to find the four former firefighters who are still outstanding.
