Crews douse 3 more Provo fires; arson suspected


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PROVO — Crews put out three fires in Provo early Tuesday morning. Investigators believe all three were intentionally set and may be part of a string of recent arsons.

Tuesday's first fire was reported at a vacant building at 1585 W. Center Street around 3:45 a.m. Crews extinguished the fire by 4 a.m.

About 30 minutes later a vehicle fire was reported nearby. Then a fire was reported at an abandoned home near 500 South and 400 West. No one was injured in the fires.

Chief Gary Jolley of the Provo City Fire Department said these fires appear to follow a recent pattern and would make 10 intentionally set fires in the past six weeks.

A fire near the Shops at Riverwoods on Saturday left a firefighter needing treatment for smoke inhalation. About a week before that, several other buildings in Provo were damaged by fire. On March 24, two duplexes burned.

Officials said the homes had been vacant for at least five years, and all fires have been deemed suspicious.

Jolley said witnesses Tuesday morning reported suspicious activity, and now there are people investigators want to talk to about what they know or may have seen. A K-9 detected flammable liquid at the scene of Tuesday's first fire, investigators said, and witnesses saw a black pickup truck leaving the scene.

Jolley called the fires frustrating because they are wasting time and resources. He also said it's possible the person or people responsible for setting the fires could mistake an occupied property for a vacant one in the future.

Anyone responsible for setting them could face felony charges.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Contributing: Nkoyo Iyamba

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