Castle Point neighborhood in north St. Louis County became the scene of multiple blazes that have raised suspicions of arson among local authorities. The St. Louis County Bomb and Arson Squad has been called to investigate the series of overnight incidents that saw firefighters tackling flames in both vacant and occupied properties.
The ordeal began when fire crews responded to a call around 12:30 a.m. about a vacant house fire in the area, according to FOX2Now. They swiftly moved to address a second nearby fire at another empty residence on Empress Drive. In within hour, more than one properties were affected, sparking concern among fire officials and residents alike.
As reported by First Alert 4, fire crews observed yet another blaze at a home on the 10200 block of Duke, where they discovered heavy flames upon arrival. Following that incident, around 2 a.m., authorities responded to a fourth fire in the attic of an occupied house in the 10100 block of Count, believed to be caused accidentally by a stove and not treated as suspicious.
Keith Goldstein, Chief of the North County Fire and Rescue Protection District, mentioned a concerning pattern of such events. "About two weeks ago, we had the same thing in that area," he divulged, highlighting the similarity of the recent fires to a past occurrence. Goldstein's statement, obtained by KSDK, also noted that vacant homes generally lack power and utilities, making accidental causes unlikely. These details add to the growing suspicion that the fires may very well be the result of intentional misconduct.
No injuries have been reported from any of the incidents. The ongoing investigation by the bomb and arson squad seeks to uncover further evidence that could lead to identifying those responsible for the fires.
