May 24, 2012
UPDATE 2/3/12 @ 7:40 p.m.
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WSAZ) -- Investigators say a "serial arsonist" may be too strong a label for who's lighting a string of suspicious fires in Pikeville.
Still, an all-out search is on for someone with a match and a motive.
While a salvage crew legally pulled metal from one of the four mobile homes burned last month in Pikeville’s Fife Fork of Chloe Creek neighborhood, investigators looked over the charred remains of a Poplar Street home a few miles away.
Another home burned early Thursday morning, and arson is also suspected. All the homes were vacant; it also is suspected the mobile home fires are related.
“We found similarities in the fires themselves," Pikeville Fire Chief Robby Lindsey said. "We feel there may be a common cause in there.”
As far as possible motive, we’re told the Poplar Street fire may be drug related. Investigators say all the homes were recently vacated, and they're looking into if the homes were stripped of copper and any valuables and torched on the way out.
Even still, some worry their nearby occupied home might be next.
“You never know, it could kill somebody, or worse,” neighbor Chester Adams said.
Investigators say they have people of interest. And they say, hopefully, before someone gets hurt or worse, they can put a quick stop to whoever is starting these house fires.
Arson investigators have eliminated one motive, since they say none of the five homes burned had any insurance coverage.
The Pikeville Fire Department says the latest trailer fire was on Fife Fork Road early Saturday morning.
Investigators say this is the fourth structure fire in the neighborhood of vacant trailers since April.
Anyone who lives in the Fife Fork Road area is asked to report any suspicious activity in the neighborhood. Fire officials are also looking for any information on the previous fire.
You can report your information by call 911 or 606-437-5111.
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