/ 8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, June 9, 1993 Arson (continued from page 1) : ‘tric warehouse last weekend,” Miers said. “We're calling this one attempted arson.” The June 6 incident occurred less than 1/4 mile from the scene of a fire, which police have ruled as arson, which damaged a ware- house owned by J&J Electric, the former feed mill at Fern Brook, early Wednesday morning, June 2. : According to Trooper Sylvester Myers of the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal's office, the warehouse’'s owner, Gerald Schulz, was remodeling the struc- ture, which he had been using as a warehouse since December, 1992. Myers said that the fire, which caused approximately $500 damage to one corner and a sec- tion of one wall, was arson. None of the contents were danaged, Myers said. “Based on the pattern of the burns, I believe that an accelerant was used,” he continued. “Fortu- nately the fire was detected in its early stages and the fire company came very quickly.” Dallas Fire Chief Robert Be- secker said that apparently some- one driving by the building saw the fire and flagged down a pass- ing police cruiser to report it. The call came in at 1 a.m., Besecker said. Thirty firefighters from the Dallas and Shavertown fire com- panies reported to the scene, Besecker said. “We were able to stop it quickly or we would have lost the build- ing,” Besecker said. Dallas Police Chief Carl Miers, who is assisting Dallas Township patrolman Robert Jolley and Trooper Myers in the investiga- tion of a cluster of five other fires in Dallas Township, said that the June 2 fire had no connection with the others, which all occurred on Harris and Washington Streets in Roushey Plot, a mile from Fern Brook. “The suspect in the Roushey Plot fires was in jail at the time of the June 2 fire,” he said. Arrests are pending in the most recent Roushey Plot fire, May 22 Arson a tough By GRACE R. DOVE Post Staff Sifting through a fire scene with ‘a magnifying glass layer by layer, arson “investigators face many challenges in finding enough clues to come up with a suspect. Arsonists know exactly what they're doing — what type of mate- rials to use and where to place them, according to Franklin Town- ship Fire Chief Ron Witkowski. Everything is well-planned. And a good arsonist is tough to catch — if he does his job properly, all the evidence will have been burned up in the fire. “You don’t need a lot of sophis- ticated items to start a fire. You can use simple things commonly found around the house, like matches,” Witkowski said. “You can find out how to set a fire from television. I saw a movie on TV that showed in detail how to make and set a firebomb acti- vated by the ring from the home's telephone,” he continued. Arsonists often like to go back to the fire scene to watch the Paperback POST GRAPHIC/PAUL RISMILLER 92 Harris St. ellie CATE J 90 Harris St. 92 Harris St. J elie 90 Harris St. Franklin Twp. Bl Fire Hall Orange Rd. \ Emmanuel Bus he Garage —» |°g° Franklin Township Orange United Methodist Church Flat Rock Road / at a vacant home at $2 Harris Street, Miers said. Trooper Myers said that an accelerant was used in this fire, which also has been ruled arson. An early-morning fire Monday, May 31, at the vacant Emanuel bus garage on Eighth Street near Municipal Road in Franklin Town- ship has also been ruled as arson, . Trooper Myers said. An acceler- antwas also used in that blaze, he said. : Franklin Township Fire Chief Ron Witkowski has requested that any owners of barns or vacant buildings make sure that they are securely boarded up and well- locked. “Iam asking owners and people living near barns or vacant build- ing to keep a close eye on them. Don't be afraid to report any pos- sible problems,” he said. crime to crack building burn or see the firefight- ers in action, Witkowski said. “It's kind ofa high for them, like drugs.” Witkowski said that he has read books on’ the ‘subject and still can't figure out what motivates arsonists. No one knows for sure why people like to set fires, Witkowski said. They just like to see things burn. _ In the fires that he has fought in the Back Mountain, the arson- ists seemed seldom to be bent on revenge for a perceived slight or “instant lightning,” to collect on a building's fire insurance. Many of the vacant buildings or barns destroyed in the Back Mountain were largely not cov- ered by fire insurance, Witkowski said. And unless the arsonist makes a mistake, it's difficult to catch them. : “Unless we actually catch the person in the act of lighting a fire, it's tough to pin it on a specific suspect,” Witkowski said. “You need lots of evidence and lots of investigation.” Parsons graduates from Meredith College Jennifer Leigh Parsons, daughter of James and Betty Parsons of Richard Drive, Dallas, received a BA Sociology degree during gradu- ation ceremonies at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. Miller graduates from Clarion Jason Ross Miller of Shavertown, received a Bachelor's degree from Claricn University during graduation ceremonies May 8. Mountain for eight months. ship. Brook. The fires were: Street, Roushey Plot. Timeline of suspicious fires A string of suspicious fires, three ruled definitely as arson by the State Police fire marshal, have plagued portions of the Back The latest incidents were a May 31 fire in the eastern end of Fran- klin Township, and aJune 2 fire and June 6 arson attempt, within 1/4 mile of each other in the Fern Brook section of Dallas Town- Five others were clustered in a neighborhood in the Roushey Plot section of Dallas Township, approximately a mile from Fern * November 28, 1992: A late night fire destroyed acarat90Harris * December, 1992: Two more cars, parked in adjoining lots at 92 and 90 Harris Street, Roushey Plot, were destroyed by nighttime fires within 24 hours of one another. * March 28, 1993: A nighttime fire destroyed a vacant home at 87- B Washington St., Roushey Plot, and damaged a nearby garage. * May 22, 1993: Afire later ruled as arson gutted the second story of a home at 92 Harris Street, Roushey Plot. e May 31, 1993: An early morning fire, later ruled as arson, de- stroyed the vacant Emanuel bus garage on West Eighth Street near Municipal Road in Franklin Twp. A fire in September, 1992, at that building had been ruled by the State Police fire marshal as accidental electrical. * June 2, 1993: An early morning fire later ruled as arson at the old Fern Brook feed mill, now owned by J&J Electrical, damaged a corner of the building and a portion of one wall. * June 6, 1993: Someone attempted to set a fire at a detached garage at RR 6 Box 54, Shaver Ave., in Dallas Township sometime between Saturday night, June 5, and Sunday morning, June 6. Police are calling the incident, in which gasoline was poured alongside the building but not ignited, attempted arson. by Grace R. Dove Plaque (continued from page 1) who will remember these men for us?” In addition to O’'Boyle and Poad, the other Dallas Township men who are remembered on the plaque for having made the su- preme sacrifice for their country are Burton Boneii, Haroid Kep- ner, Joseph Polachek, Robert A. Girvan, Howard E. Lynn, William Phillips, Robert Ressiguie, John Gleason, Clifford S. Nulton, Francis A. Sidorek, Harry Smith and William F. Stritzinger. Former CCC members sought The Dallas Post is looking for men who served with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression era who would like to share their recollections of their experiences. Please contact either former CCC member Andrew Borto at 675- 0338 or Grace Dove at The Dallas Post at 675-5211. Your news is welcome The Dallas Post welcomes submissions of weddings, engagements, birthdays and other items about people and events in the Back Mountain. The deadline for items for the next issue is Friday at 4 p.m. Photos are welcome. Black and white prints are preferred, but color can usually be used. We will attempt to publish articles based on timeliness, available space and interest to our readers. If you have any questions or comments, call Ron Bartizek at 675-5211. Free checks and checking. You get them with a Smart Account Banking Plan. And you get a Smart Account Banking Plan with a combined balance of just $5000 in checking, every kind of savings and most kinds of loans. Stop by any office. Or call 1 800 245-4920. ‘The Smart Account; Banking Plan Mellon Bank Youre why we do our very best.” ©1992 Mellon Bank Corporation A $12 monthly fee will be assessed if minimum balance requirements are not maintained. Offer not applicable to commercial accounts. A Ask your Mellon Banker for complete rules and regulations. Mellon Bank, N.A.-Member FDIC. Northeastern Region 168 i EQUAL HOUSING > LENDER Kingston Twp. lawns must be cut The residents of Kingston Township are reminded that the Town-. ship's Vegetation Nuisance Ordinance requires that all grass or weeds on occupied properties are to be kept trimmed to a maximum height of six inches. All grass or weeds growing in excess of six inches in height may be declared to be a nuisance and subject to a fine. Additional in- formation may be obtained from the Zoning Officer at 696-3809. iIrem Women to meet June 17 Irem Women's Auxiliary will have the first of the summer luncheons, open to members and friends on Thursday, June 17, to be held at Irem Temple Country Club. 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