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| Remnants of an overnight arson fire in the 800 block of Buckingham. |
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| Scene of an overnight arson fire in Boystown. |
Another series of arson fires struck Boystown overnight, causing minor damage to one vehicle but no apparent damage to structures. CWB sources have indicated that these fires as well as two other sets of intentionally-set fires are believed to be related to a nearly-fatal fire in Uptown last month.
The latest round of fires, reported around 1:45AM, was concentrated
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| A partially-melted garbage can, also on Buckingham. |
in the alley between Buckingham and Roscoe from Halsted to Clark. Another fire was reported late Friday night behind 824 Roscoe in the alley shared with Newport. Known incidents:
• 824 Roscoe, garbage can, 11PM Friday
• 867 Roscoe, garbage. 1:45AM
• 874 Buckingham, garbage can, 1:45AM
• 844 Buckingham, large pile of refuse and trash cans set ablaze, car damaged. 1:44AM
This morning’s incident at 867 Roscoe is the second arson at that address in two weeks. Surveillance video captured images of an arsonist setting fire to a mattress that quickly engulfed a garage there on August 31.
Last week, CWB was informed by a police source that the August 31 fires in Lake View may be the work of an “associate” of a man who police suspect in a nearly-fatal Uptown fire last month. That fire, in the 900 block of Margate Terrace, left several people homeless and at least one occupant is said to have barely escaped the flames.
According to our source, a suspect in the Margate Terrace arson was being held on a warrant but he had not “given up anything” so charges were not immediately filed.
Yesterday evening, a 48th ward representative emailed constituents to report that “police arrested an individual in connection with the recent fires around the Margate Park area,” so the timing of the latest Boystown fires is, at the very least, a grand coincidence.
On June 10, an arsonist set fire to several cars, a mattress, and garbage cans in Wrigleyville alleys.
