October 30, 1984

Prank actually arson

       An arson investigator is calling a Monday night fire on Skyline Drive near Greenwood a “Holloween prank.”  Bob Wehrman of the White River Township Fire Department said somebody threw a lighted plastic Windex bottle filled with a flammable liquid, possibly gasoline, onto the edge of the front porch of the home of Grant Adkins, 1765 Skyline Drive.  A neighbor saw the liquid burning on the concrete porch and grass in front of the house and called Adkins.  Adkins extinguished the fire and called police and fire officials about 8:40 p.m., Wehrman said.  “It could have really been serious.  Luckily, no shrubs or walls caught fire,” Wehrman said.  He said the small fire caused no damage.  “I think it was just a Halloween prank that got carried too far.  Some kids thought it would be funny, but it’s not funny and could have been serious,” Wehrman said.  Wehrman and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the fire.  Nobody saw who threw the bottle, so there are no suspects at this time, the firefighter said.  “Hopefully, this is an isolated incident,” Wehrman said.
 
 

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