Nick Markowitz's Fire & Electrical Safety Section

By Nick Markowitz

Life has not been so kind to Mr. John Smith. His business has slowly bled red ink in the rundown neighborhood in which he lives and operates. Only, Mr. smith has a plan that, if all goes as planned, will pay off all his bills and put him on easy street. To implement this plan, he has recruited the help of Tony "the match," a professional arsonist. For US$5000, Mr. Smith's heavily- insured business will burn to the ground and it will look like an accident.

Four days after cash-strapped and desperate Smith agreed to the terms set by Tony the match, the alarm sounded in Smith's building as the flames quickly engulfed the structure. The firemen arrived at 2:30 a.m., at which time they began to fight the blaze. In short order, something went terribly wrong. Two of the firemen, family men at that, were killed after falling into Smith's burning basement. The floor beneath them had collapsed. Their families were understandably devastated.

Mr. Smith collected on his insurance policy after investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the fire. However, after paying off his bills, he began to lead a subdued life. Then, after achieving retirement, Mr. Smith blew out his brains with a 0.38 caliber handgun. The weight of living with the two firemens' deaths had weighed heavily on Mr. Smith's mind until he could not take it any longer.

A Difficult Crime to Prove

Arson is a difficult crime to prosecute because professionals are good at making sure that all of the evidence is completely consumed by the fire. In some cases they make it look like an accident by using an electrical connection, a furnace, hot water heater, or any other technical aspect of a home or business.

No doubt, arson for profit has many motives. Like John Smith's story, insurance fraud is one of the leading reasons why arson takes place. For example, cases of arson have been linked to unscrupulous real estate developers who pay arsonists to torch entire city blocks so they can cheaply obtain the aging homes and businesses that once thrived there. Many of the owners have little to no insurance, so they are forced to sell fast and cheap.

Still, others use arson to rid their lot of aging structures because they plan to develop there. For many, it means avoiding the relatively high cost associated with demolishing a building. Many of these buildings are so old that firemen and nearby residents are often endangered by the release of asbestos and other hazardous materials to the atmosphere. Arson is also used as a means of revenge and terror against individuals who owe money to the mob or some other angered individual, such as a neighbor.

Fire For Thrill

More dangerous than the arsonist is the pyromaniac who sets fires simply for the thrill of it. These people like to see the flames rise from a burning building and watch as fireman rush to put out the fire. As with all types of Arson fires, when they burn out of control, a good deal of money, and more importantly, lives are lost.

Luckily, the fire prevention men and women who investigate these cases have high-tech methods of proving arson. They also utilize the tried-and-true, low-tech method where highly-trained accelerate- sniffing dogs are employed. In addition, fire prevention bureaus use cash rewards to catch their man.

Despite all of this, far too many arsonists get away with setting fires, even after it has been confirmed that a fire was incendiary in nature. This is because the criminal involved usually pulls it off without anyone seeing or hearing them as they applied their tradecraft.

What To Do

So, what can the average person do to help stop and prevent arson fires? One of the best ways is to keep your eyes and ears open and be ever vigilant. This is especially important if you have a vacant property near your home or business. Arson can happen whether you live in a rich or poor neighborhood because arsonists are not especially picky about what they apply their match to.

If you see a suspicious person or vehicle lingering in your neighborhood, and there is no apparent reason why, get their description, along with the date and time, and kept it handy for investigators if something should occur. Better yet, keep a camera loaded with film so you can take their picture. This is the best way to provide the identity of an alleged arsonist.

Report the location of any abandoned buildings that are open and accessible to your local building code enforcement office. Also consider that homes awaiting sale on the real estate market also are targets for arsonist's. Immediately report buildings and homes that appear to have been broken into or entered illegally. If possible, cut the grass of nearby abandoned homes to keep the weeds down. This eliminates a valuable hiding place. Also, remove all trash from such a property; your local government may be willing to help in this matter.

It is also important that any abandoned vehicles near these buildings be removed by police to prevent their use in a case of arson. Abandoned buildings should also have its utilities shut off or disconnected to prevent the arsonist from using them to start or perpetuate a fire. Installation of motion lights on your own property will also help. Shining lights from your own property onto an abandoned property is also be helpful in averting problems. Remember, darkness is an arsonist's best friend for it conceals his presence while he works.

Vigilance is essential after dark, but also know that many arsonists check out their target during the day. Be sure to document, photograph, and report anyone suspicious activity around abandoned buildings during daylight hours as well. Remember, vigilance is your best weapon against arsonists.

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