Investigation under way after bomb found at West Toledo fire station

9/22/2011

Toledo police are investigating three reported crimes at three city fire stations in the last two days.

An incendiary device was found Thursday morning at a West Toledo fire station, the day after shots were fired at two Toledo fire station buildings.

No injuries were reported in any of the three incidents.

A package described as an incendiary device was found at about 10:15 a.m. Thursday at Station 18, 5221 Lewis Ave. The Toledo Police department bomb squad was called to remove the device, Fire Chief Luis Santiago said.

The fire station remained in operation after the discovery and while the device was being removed, Chief Santiago said. He declined to comment on additional details regarding the device, citing the police investigation.

On Wednesday between 2:30 and 3 p.m. shots were fired at Station 9, 300 South Avenue.

No damage was reported, Chief Santiago said.

Dan Desmond, vice president of Toledo Firefighters Local 92, said five shots were fired at the building, where he was on duty.

“I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt a firefighter,” Mr. Desmond said.

That incident was followed by a series of shots fired at the outside of Station 6 at 642 Starr Avenue in East Toledo at 4:30 p.m. that left a bullet hole in the glass garage door but missed the five firefighters inside.

Mr. Desmond said the three incidents have puzzled him, and he declined to speculate if they have anything to do with the contentious State Issue 2 or with the city’s recent announcement that the administration is cracking down on alleged abuse of sick time in the fire department.

— Jim Sielicki