Bowling Green Fire Department, 1898

Fire Flashback: Downtown Fires Have Investigators Attention

From The Daily News
2/14/98

Although investigators have not found any evidence to link three recent fires on West Main Avenue, the blazes share enough unusual circumstances to "give us some concern," Bowling Green Fire Chief Gerry Brown said. "We're always looking for patterns," Brown said, "That there have been three fires causing substantial damage in four months that were basically within two blocks of each other, and they all started in the middle of the day, is unusual. "We want to know what's going on."

The cause of Wednesday's blaze at 605 W. Main Ave. still is under investigation. The home, owned by Bill Miller and rented by Joyce DeWalt, was destroyed, but no one was injured.

"When people hear a fire is being investigated, they just assume it's arson, but that's not the case," Brown said. "It may or may not be; we haven't made that determination yet."

A fire at 326 W. Main Ave. on Oct. 16th and one at 329 W. Main Ave., on Jan. 5 both were ruled arson, Brown said. Shaun Alvey of Bowling Green and a juvenile were arrested in connection with the first fire, but firefighters are still seeking information about teh second. Both houses were destroyed but no one was injured. Paul McFarland and Chris Blevins own the home at 326 W. Main Ave. and Blevins owns the home at 329 W. Main Ave., Brown said.

"We don't read anything into that at all," Brown said. "That a person would own more than one property in an area is not unusual."

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