Increase In Abandoned Homes Raises Safety Concerns In Central Ohio

In Marion, Ohio, The Marion Star reports:

• With the economy slowing and foreclosure rates up, Ohio is seeing its fair share of abandoned homes and vacant properties. Marion isn't isolated from that trend and local authorities say it presents a potentially dangerous situation for safety forces and residents -- fires. "I see in driving around the community more and more empty houses," said Al Gruber, chief of the Marion City Fire Department, noting an increase in the number of fires within city limits that involve vacant properties.

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• Gruber's concern is two fold -- vacant homes are not always structurally sound and vacant homes are not always vacant. "Kids play in them, animals seek shelter in them and even the homeless squat in them," he said. During the colder months, Gruber said fire departments traditionally see an increase in fires of vacant structures, likely started by homeless members of the community. Neighborhood youths using vacant structures as "club houses" proves even more problematic, Gruber said. "They're starting little fires in there and they think it's fun," he said. "It's just a worry. If we can keep them out of there, that's something we want."

For more, see Abandoned homes rising safety concern (Potential for problems grows as number of vacant houses increases).

Go here and go here for other posts on vacant homes leaving its mark on neighborhoods.

For other stories on fires & foreclosures, go here , go here , and go here. foreclosure arson xerox neighborhood destruction from foreclosures zach