SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Crosses were found burned at two of three fires set the same night on the North Side of Syracuse, according to two sources.
The fires were set Wednesday night by juveniles, one of the sources said.
In addition to the two sources a neighbor who witnessed one of the fires also told syracuse.com Friday that an investigator told her there had been a burning cross.
Syracuse Fire Department and Syracuse Police Department contacted by Syracuse.com declined on Friday to confirm that the fires had included burning crosses.
All of the fires -- two at vacant houses and one near a fire station -- were set within about 20 minutes of each other Wednesday night and remain under investigation, said Lt. Joe Galloway, speaking for the Syracuse Fire Department,.
The first fire was a minor outdoor fire that was set in the 2300 block of Lodi Street at 8:24 p.m., he said. This fire went out on its own, and did not cause any damage. The Syracuse Fire Department Station 2 is located in the 2300 block of Lodi Street, officials said.
The second fire was set in a vacant home at 8:25 p.m. at 2422 Lodi St., Galloway said The structure was damaged in the interior only.
A third fire was set at a vacant home at 824 Sunset Ave. at 8:46 p.m. Galloway said this was the largest of the three fires. The home was damaged on the inside and outside of the structure.
No one was injured by any of the fires.
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have offered to join the investigation.
Lt. Joe Galloway, speaking for the Syracuse Fire Department, said ATF was not involved in the investigation.
Galloway would not say whether crosses had been burned at any of the fires. A spokesman for the Syracuse Police Department refused to comment Friday until the investigation had concluded.
———
©2017 Syracuse Media Group, N.Y.
Visit Syracuse Media Group, N.Y. at www.syracuse.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
