April 6, 1980

White River fires frighten residents

       The specter of arson returned to White River Township this week. Area residents were less than thrilled. They were scared. Early morning fires on Thursday and Friday claimed two buildings, some personal belongings, and the community’s sense of security. Residents huddled in the Friday morning darkness and collected their thoughts. “It was a shed this time, but next time it could be a house,” one neighbor said as she watched firefighters hose down the structure’s charred beams. Don Rector stared from a distance at the twisted metal and ashes that used to be his tool shed. “I can’t believe anyone would want to do this to me. I can remember standing out here at 2 a.m. this winter putting on the tar paper so everything inside wouldn’t get wet,” Rector said. “Now it’s all gone.” Senseless crime came too close to home. Local law enforcement officials also felt the frustration of two intentionally set fires in as many nights. “If I’d known they were going to burn this shed too, I’d have sat out here all night,” one policeman commented. Many neighbors echoed those sentiments. “This will really put the community on edge. We’ll all be on the lookout,” another said. And, while police do have suspects under consideration, it’s tough to obtain an arson conviction, especially with such small fires. “It would cost almost as much to investigate this fire as it would be to replace the building,” Dave McDaniel, investigator for the White River Township Fire Department, said after Thursday’s fire. “Insurance companies would rather pay off a small claim than investigate the fire’s cause,” he added. Penalties for arson are stiff. Jail terms range from six to 20 years, with fines up to $10,000. When an injury results from the fire, a convicted arsonist can by sentenced from 20 to 50 years and be fined $10,000. Firemen told residents to keep an eye on their property and do whatever necessary to detain a suspect if they catch one in the act.  And, as firemen looked in an adjoining field for footprints, the neighbor spoke of the future. “This is a nice neighborhood; I hope it doesn’t change now.”  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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