Another suspicious fire on northwest side

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Another arson was set in a vacant home in South Bend's Northwest neighborhood.

At 11:35 on Sunday night, Clyde Lewis' Ring surveillance camera started recording after it saw something or someone moving within its line of vision.

Lewis was alerted on his phone that the camera was picking up movement while he was upstairs watching TV in his bed. Seconds later he heard a loud boom. Both occurrences and seeing red streak across his bedroom wall caused him to get up and go downstairs to see what was happening. 

In the 15 seconds it took Lewis to get to the back door, he heard a second boom--to which he immediately called the police.

Then he saw the next-door neighbor's house bursting into flames.

South Bend Police arrived on scene at 11:40--where they saw the South Bend Fire Department had already put out a fire in the backdoor of the vacant, rental home.

While the fire was contained quickly the damage is still visible. 

The back awning is burned, the windows are black from soot and smoke, and there is still burned debris in the backyard.

Sunday night, police and firetrucks lined Portage Avenue for almost 2 hours as the arson investigators and other officials diligently investigated the scene. 

At this time, police say the cause of the fire is unknown and there is no suspect description available.

This "unknown" has been a common thread in the past two months as this fire marks the 8th arson within the Northwest neighborhood.

The main question being asked by the community right now is are these arson's connected?

The common factors right now are the fires have occurred all within one general area and have occurred in vacant homes.

Many neighbors I spoke to today, who were fearful to go on camera, said that they are sure there must be an arsonist senselessly lighting these fires.

Unfortunately, the South Bend Fire Investigators were unable to provide and further information on Monday.

The case is still under investigation by the South Bend Police and Fire Investigation team.