String of Possible Arson Fires Being Investigated in Ill.

Jan. 16--CLINTON -- Fire Chief Shawn Milton wants to know who is responsible for a string of fires in the northwest section of Clinton over the past several months.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal's office is investigating, but Milton said there are few leads.

"They generally happen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., but there is really no other pattern as far as days or locations," he said.

Milton estimates more than a dozen fires have been reported in the northwest portion of the city in the past two years.

Most recently, on Dec. 29, firefighters were called to the 400 block of North Walnut for a suspicious garage fire. They were still on scene when a trash can fire was reported in a nearby alley.

The second fire caused little damage, but first destroyed the garage and damaged two other buildings.

Several other calls have come from the same area, including one that destroyed a dugout at Moore Park in July.

"With that one, they had to try two times and there was also a truck fire and a (portable toilet) fire," Milton said. "We just want people to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior so we can find out who is doing this and get it stopped."

If you have information, call the police department at 217-935-9441.

Copyright 2012 - The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.