Arson May Have Sparked Ohio Covered Bridge Fire
Source The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio
Jan. 16--LANCASTER, Ohio -- A fire that damaged a 19th-century covered bridge yesterday on the Ohio University-Lancaster campus is being investigated as arson, authorities said.
The fire caused an estimated $20,000 in damage to the wooden bridge, university officials said.
The fire was reported by Kermit Welty, who phoned 911 at 5:53 a.m. He said he was taking his morning walk along the bike path behind the campus at 1570 Granville Pike (Rt. 37) when he discovered a small fire on the bridge decking.
Welty said he tried to stamp it out before summoning help. City firefighters extinguished the fire.
The covered bridge was built in 1881 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It originally spanned Poplar Creek near Carroll and was relocated to the campus in 1988 for preservation, university officials said.
The fire, which was started underneath the bridge, damaged support posts and made two large holes in the wooden decking, officials said.
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