Origin of E. Toledo fire called suspicious

6/23/2010

At least one of the two fires that started the same hour in East Toledo Tuesday was of suspicious origin, authorities said.

A fire of suspicious origin was reported about 2:15 p.m. at a vacant house at 421 Oak St., said Battalion Chief Dennis Facer. It was unclear if the fire started on the first or second floor, but the flames and smoke caused a total of $14,000 damage to both floors of the house.

Another fire that started in the basement of an occupied house at 2412 Woodford St. was reported about 2:45 p.m. The cause was under investigation, Battalion Chief Bill Sulewski said.

Though the two fires are not thought to be related, fire crews have battled several possibly related suspicious fires on Potter and Forsythe streets in East Toledo this month, according to Deputy Fire Chief Phil Cervantes.