Arson Dog Alerts to Chemicals at Wash. State Univ. Fire
Source Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
May 28--PULLMAN -- An arson dog trained to detect different chemicals used to start fires alerted on several areas in the remnants of the second Washington State University building to burn down last week, said Glenn Johnson with the Pullman Fire Department.
The dog was brought in Saturday from the Spokane Valley Fire Department to investigate the scene of a two-story commons building in the Chief Joseph apartment complex that was destroyed by fire early that morning.
A similar building, only used for meetings and not housing, in the Nez Perce apartment complex burned Tuesday morning. Both complexes are owned by WSU.
No one was injured in either fire.
Johnson said the dog was brought to the Chief Joseph scene first because it was the freshest. The dog hit on five or six areas in the scene, from which investigators collected materials.
The department has electronic devices that can detect the chemicals, which include accelerants, but trained arson dogs are far more sensitive, he said.
When Johnson left the Chief Joseph complex at about 2 p.m. Saturday, he said the dog's next stop was the Nez Perce scene.
Pullman and Whitman County firefighters responded to the Chief Joseph apartment complex off of Terre View and Merman Drives at 3:31 a.m. Saturday, according to a Pullman Fire Department release.
The building was located between two apartment buildings, but only one exterior wall of the nearest building was scorched. Two outbuildings used for storage were damaged by the fire, though.
WSU police had patrolled the complex about a half an hour before the fire was reported and saw nothing suspicious, according to the release.
After the Chief Joseph fire was out, the area was immediately treated as a crime scene.
No official cause has been released for the Nez Perce complex fire, but it too was labeled suspicious.
The investigation continues.
Bloomsburg may be contacted at [email protected] or (208) 848-2274. Follow him on Twitter @crbloomsburg.
Copyright 2012 - Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
