By By Sharon White/The Meridian Star
Dec. 16, 2000
Fire Chief Bunky Partridge said the Arson Task Force is working non-stop to determine who is torching vacant houses in Meridian.
The latest arsons involved two vacant houses set on fire within minutes of each other Thursday night about 11:30 p.m. One house was at 4013 South St., the other at 405 40th Ave. Both were heavily damaged.
Three other houses in the same vicinity burned in the early morning hours Dec. 5, and a fourth was damaged by exposure to the heat and flames.
Partridge said he is working with city officials to map all vacant and condemned houses, particularly those in west Meridian.
Investigators are going door-to-door, trying to get new information in what authorities believe are related cases. Partridge said so far no leads have turned up.
The first fires were within a four-block radius on Hooper, South and Vally streets. The houses on Hooper and Vally burned to the ground.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Meridian Fire Department at 485-1822 or the Meridian Police Department at 485-1893.
Sharon White is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at swhite@themeridianstar.com.