INDIANAPOLIS --
A woman was killed and her quadriplegic son was critically injured in the last of 10 fires, seven of which investigators said were intentionally set, that raged in Indianapolis early Tuesday morning.
The fatal fire broke out at a home at Prospect Street and State Avenue a little after 6 a.m. Anna Richards, 63, was pronounced dead, and her son was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in critical condition, 6News' Julie Pursley reported.
The Prospect Street fire was the last in a string of 10 blazes that began shortly after midnight. Investigators said the fire began in the front of the home. Two more people were also inside, but they weren't hurt.
"There were four people sleeping in the house at the time the fire broke out," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Rita Burris. "Those four people were evacuated by firefighters when firefighters arrived. They were trying to assist in getting one of the gentlemen out of the house."
It wasn't immediately known what sparked the fire, but investigators said it was suspicious in origin. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with homicide investigators, were also called to the scene.
"All I could see is that the fire came right in the front of my mom's door," said Mary Whitlock, Richards' daughter. "My mom hollered, said the front of the house was on fire. We tried to get my brother out of the house, and we can't get him up. He got all burned, really bad."
Mayor Greg Ballard talked to firefighters at the scene, hoping to get some insight about the nine fires within a few hours overnight, most of them in areas just south and east of downtown.
Mayor Greg Ballard talked to firefighters at the scene of the ninth fire within a few hours in Indianapolis.
"There's quite a few fires, and people are trying to piece this together to see what happened," Ballard said.
Five of the blazes, all ruled arson, were set within an hour, beginning just after midnight, Burris said. Those fires were at 945 N. Dearbon St., 1725 Nelson Ave., 1602 Nelson Ave., 2517 E. Ninth St. and 34 Karcher St.
Some of the fires were at homes, while others were set in trash or in garages, investigators said. Damage in those blazes was estimated at more than $140,000. There were no injuries in those blazes.
There were four more fires later in the morning, at 1028 N. Delaware St., 1431 S. Talbott St., 1230 S. Meridian St and at the intersection of Meridian and Morris streets.. The Delaware Street fire was at the historic Kemper building that had been listed for sale.
Damage in those fires was estimated at about $85,000. The Talbott Street and Meridian and Morris street blazes were intentionally set, investigators said.
Firefighters said that they can't connect any of the blazes, but all are being investigated.
"I wish somebody would catch these people and put them behind bars," Whitlock said.
"Whoever done it, I hope they spend the rest of their life in prison, no parole, no probation, in prison for the rest of their life," said Gary Allen, Whitlock's boyfriend.
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