Today, shortly after 2:00 p.m., the Columbia Police and Columbia Fire Departments responded to a reported fire at a vacant residence located at 3702 High Circle near West Beltline Boulevard.
This incident was the 14th fire that has occurred in North Columbia since April 21, 2018.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been working in conjunction with CPD and CFD since the fires were reported. Recently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has joined the investigation.
Many of the incidents fall primarily within the Booker Washington Heights community near Farrow Road; several of the structures were identified as being vacant at the time the fires occurred.
Since then, the City of Columbia has boarded up or re-secured all of the vacant structures in the identified areas.
To date, while investigators continue to determine the circumstances surrounding each of the fires, it has been found that a number of the fires have some evidentiary similarities.
At this point, five of the fires have been ruled intentionally set, while the others have been classified as undetermined.
Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook says, “Even with the extensive local, state and federal investigative resources at work to investigate these fires, the public’s assistance is critical to assist law enforcement in bringing those responsible to account. Anything that is suspicious or out of the ordinary should be reported to law enforcement immediately.”
Here is a list of the fires currently under investigation: | The highlighted portions have been ruled as being intentionally set:
- 3521 Beaumont Avenue | April 21
- 3521 Beaumont Avenue | May 5
- 3517 Beaumont Avenue | May 5
- 1915 High Street | June 5
- 4524 Monticello Road | June 7
- 3511 Beaumont Avenue | June 15
- 3417 Carver Street | June 18
- 4913 Norman Street | June 18
- 1909 High Street | June 23
- 2711 High Circle | June 24
- 5779 Ames Road | June 27
- 3612 High Circle | June 27
- 401 Abraham Street | July 1
- 3702 High Circle | July 3
Citizens with information about the series of fires are encouraged to contact Crimestoppers in any ways:
CALL toll-free, 888-CRIME-SC.
LOG onto: www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a tip” tab.
DOWNLOAD the new P3 Tips App for Apple or Android device.