Suspicious fire destroys Foraker Avenue home

A fire of suspicious origin destroyed a house and damaged two adjacent residences in South Toledo last night, causing $80,000 damage, authorities said.

Donald Scicere, 26, the occupant of the house at 2545 Foraker Ave., was outside the structure when fire crews arrived three minutes after a passerby used a cell phone to report the blaze at 7:43 p.m.

The firefighters found the first floor of the two-story, wood-frame structure engulfed in flames. They were able to bring the blaze under control within 35 minutes, but not before it damaged the adjacent sidewalls of the two nearby houses, a duplex and a single-family residence, Battalion Fire Chief Eric Renzhofer said.

The fire started in the first-floor living room, on a coffee table in front of a couch, fire Investigator Michael Smith said. A live Toledo Edison electrical wire burned through and fell to the ground in the front yard, hindering firefighters' efforts.

Mr. Scicere was arrested for disorderly conduct-intoxication and violation of a protection order as well as two unrelated warrants charging him with domestic violence. He was booked into the Lucas County jail.