Five arsons in 3.5 hours cause more than $400,000 in damage

Arsonist strikes five locations in three and a half hours in northern New Castle County.

Delaware fire officials are searching for a fire bug (or bugs) responsible for five fires early this morning in northern New Castle County.  The fires happened between 2 AM and 5:30 AM.

In the first incident, a dump truck was set on fire in the 1300 block of Centre Road.  Damage was estimated at $75,000.  Then, just before 3 AM, another piece of construction equipment was set on fire near the intersection of Centre Road and Faulkland Road.  Heavy damage was estimated at $150,000.  The third fire was set in a trash container on West Salisbury Drive in Edgemoor Terrace around 3:30 AM.   Just before 5 AM, a home on Pennewell Drive in Edgemoor Gardens was set on fire.  The house fire was brought under control within an hour.  Damage to the home is estimated at $75,000.  The fifth and final fire of the morning was set at a vacant home in the 1200 block of Newport Gap Pike.  Heavy fire damage was estimated at $100,000.  One firefighter was taken to the hospital for treatment for heat exhaustion after the fifth fire.

Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s Office Investigative Division ask anyone with information about any of these fires to call 302-323-5375, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.