Gary Firefighters Battle Several Suspicious Fires In Abandoned Buildings
(CBS) -- Gary firefighters have been busy since early Saturday morning battling several suspected arson fires.
The first fire call came in at about 1:30 a.m. Firefighters arrived on the 3600 block of Colfax Street to find an abandoned home fully involved.
As they attacked that one, more calls started coming in at 29th and Madison, 17th and Broadway, 26th and Pennsylvania and later 18th and Maryland.
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Gary spokesperson Chelsea Whittington says firefighters were working multiple, almost simultaneous scenes.
Assistance was received from the Lake Ridge and Merrillville fire departments.
Mayor Karen freeman Wilson, who has seen firefighters picketing at city hall over what they say are low wages and understaffing, acknowledged their hard work and offered thanks to the assisting departments.
The fires are under investigation but, because they were all in abandoned buildings, with no gas or electric service, there is little doubt that someone set the fires.
