Sunday, August 05, 2007

Are Foreclosures Flaming The Fires Of Arson?

The following stories are on homes facing foreclosure that were recently paid visits by local fire departrments.

1) In Michigan, the Midland Daily News reports that Edenville Township firefighters got a call to battle a blaze at an unoccupied mobile home home recently. Neighbors said the home was being foreclosed on and that the people who had lived there recently moved out. The cause is being investigated. Source: Maplecrest Drive house fire Thursday under investigation.

2) In upstate New York, The Post Star reports that investigators are looking into whether a dispute over ownership of a home destroyed in a fire determined to be arson played a part in the fire. At the time of the fire, the home was unoccupied for eight months and in foreclosure, according to the attorney for the foreclosing party. For more, see Fire deemed arson.

3) The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that a homeowner was charged with first-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to his Woodland Park, Colorado home on the same day he was to be evicted in a foreclosure. For more, see Man accused of burning his home (Woodland Park resident was to be evicted that day).

4) In North Dakots, The Bismarck Tribune reports that, according to a Bismarck fire investigator, a fire to a home earlier this week "may have started under "suspicious circumstances" but later said it appeared more "unusual" than suspicious." Coincidentally, however, the home was in foreclosure and was sold at auction this past Wednesday (8-1-07); the lender (Wells Fargo) got stuck taking the property back. For more, see Fire only causes smoke damage to Bismarck home.