Half a dozen fires were set to West University neighborhood residences and trash bins in a series of mysterious arson attempts early Friday morning. The Eugene Police Department is seeking the public’s help in obtaining leads.
EPD spokeswoman Kerry Delf said detectives don’t have any suspects at this point and do not know how many people were involved, but there is evidence that the fires are related. All six fires were set within a two block area between Patterson and Alder streets and between East 15th and East 17th avenues, and although there were no reported injuries, Delf said arson is a serious offense.
“It may seem like a minor thing when trash bins are set on fire, but it can be very dangerous,” she said. “And there were people in some of the residences.”
Shortly before 4 a.m. on Friday, an arsonist set a fire at an occupied residence at 1644 Hilyard St., reportedly damaging the back porch area before residents were able to extinguish it. One resident, University freshman Chris Lansing, said the fire appeared to have been started in a pile of cardboard beer cases near the doorway to the porch.
“I originally thought someone had just flicked a cigarette in there, but that wasn’t it,” Lansing said.
At 4:39 a.m., police and fire personnel responded to a report of a trash bin fire at Serenity Lane, a drug and rehabilitation center located at 616 E. 16th Ave. Within the next hour, four more fires were lit in the area.
At 4:56 a.m., emergency personnel responded to a fire underneath a house at 671 1/2 E. 16th Ave. At 5:01 a.m., they were called to a trash bin fire in a shed against an apartment building at 740 E. 15th Ave. At 5:36 a.m., a fire was reported in a vacant apartment above a detached garage at 1661 Hilyard St. Finally, at 5:46 a.m., emergency personnel were notified of a sixth and final fire outside an apartment building at 738 E. 16th Ave.
Some students who live in the area said they heard the fire trucks and police units running their sirens, while others said they didn’t even notice.
“I slept through the whole thing,” said one student who lives two doors down from the first fire and across Hilyard Street from the fifth fire.
While EPD has yet to report a total damage estimate, the fire department released preliminary estimates that include $35,000 in damage to a single residential structure. Delf confirmed that there have been similar series of arson attempts in the past, but said they only lead to suspect apprehension when the perpetrator is caught in the act.
EPD arson investigators said anyone who witnessed the arson incidents, saw suspicious activity in the area on Friday morning, or has other information about the fires should contact EPD Sgt. Rex Barrong at 682-5111.