After nearly 50 confirmed arsons since the beginning of last year, residents all around New Castle are on edge. Overnight, flames damaged a house on Patterson on the city's west side. While firefighters and the State Fire Marshal look for the cause, neighbors, who fear being identified, admit they're scared.
At this point, the chief is listing the cause of this blaze as "undetermined."
Meanwhile, demolition crews were tearing-down what's left from the city's most recent arson case, a vacant house on Oak that was torched last week just hours after a public meeting was held to discuss the fire problem. Since January of last year, there have been at least 44 arsons in New Castle. More than half, like the one on Oak, have been on the city's lower east side. While no one's been badly hurt in any of the fires, the chief wonders when the luck will run out.
For now, the city is turning to Pennsylvania State Police, hoping their resources can help find a suspect. Although the city has been offering a $3,000 reward leading to an arrest, there reportedly haven't been many good tips.
In the meantime, people living on the lower east side have started their own neighborhood watch taking turns patrolling the area at night.
The chief says most of the fires have occurred on weekends between Saturday night and early Sunday morning. In nearly all the cases, the homes were vacant. Most of the fires were started in the rear of the house.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Fire Department's Arson Tip Line at (724) 656-3067.
