ANTHONY CONGI
WIVB
Reprinted with Permission

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Three suspicious early morning structure fires on the city's east side have investigators working overtime.


All three of the fires took place within three hours of one another, and were all within the same general area.

The first, on Titus street started a little after 3 a.m. Wednesday, at a vacant home.

It didn't take long for firefighters to get the flames under control, but damages were estimated at $20,000.

Not long after the hoses were rolled up, firefighters were called to an old bar on Walden Avenue around 5:30 a.m.

This building was also vacant and had enough damage that an emergency demolition will be needed.

But when a third fire was called out less than an hour later, fire officials became suspicious.

Buffalo Fire Department Division Chief Don McFeely said, "Our fire investigator unit left the scene at Walden to come over here and take a look to see if they could find anybody real quick. They found the fire rolling up the back wall."

"I'm not sure if it's a guy or who it is or what's going on, but our fire investigators will get into it. Their scope is up and I hope they come up with something real quick," said McFeely.

Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield said that no specific cause has been determined, but investigators are leaning toward the possibility of these three being related.

He said that nine times out of ten, vacant building fires are suspicious, and there's always the possibility of arson.

News 4 was told the Buffalo Police Department and local ATF investigators will be helping fire marshals to find a cause.

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