Add another arson to the list of suspicious fires in Williamsport that are still unsolved.
A fire on Fifth Avenue is the latest in a string of arsons in the city. There have been more than a dozen in the past three years and since it appears that at least one arsonist is on the loose, homeowners are on edge.
No one was living in the house on Fifth Avenue when, investigators said, it was torched Monday night.
Fire officials said this case of arson makes 13 over the last three years and so far there have been no arrests.
Fire officials went inside the charred home in Williamsport Tuesday, the target of an arsonist who, according to investigators, started the blaze on the back porch.
Hours before, firefighters battled smoke and flames at the house. The owner said he had just bought the place last week and started renovations.
"I'm happy there was no one living here. It's very concerning to have somebody who's deranged walking around with the mentality to do something like this," said owner Mark Mann.
According to investigators Monday night's fire is similar to other arsons in Williamsport over the past few years.
There was a home on Park Place which was vacant at the time a fire was ignited on the back porch Halloween night last year. A nearby garage was destroyed by an arsonist the same night.
Investigators said a total of 13 arsons have been investigated since 2007. Some were garage fires and almost half were house fires which were started on the back porch.
Some neighbors on Fifth Avenue fear their home could be next.
"That bothers me. I'm glad nobody was living into it and stuff and nobody got hurt and that," said neighbor Boyd Heim.
"I hope they do catch whoever is doing it. If no one has gotten hurt up to this point, you never know. That could cause somebody their life," said neighbor William London.
Investigators have not said the fires were set by the same person or persons and no arrests have been made yet.
Fire officials ask city residents to keep a close watch in their neighborhoods to prevent a potential firebug from striking again.
Anyone with information that could help solve the arsons is asked to call the hotline number at 570-327-7575.
A fire on Fifth Avenue is the latest in a string of arsons in the city. There have been more than a dozen in the past three years and since it appears that at least one arsonist is on the loose, homeowners are on edge.
No one was living in the house on Fifth Avenue when, investigators said, it was torched Monday night.
Fire officials said this case of arson makes 13 over the last three years and so far there have been no arrests.
Fire officials went inside the charred home in Williamsport Tuesday, the target of an arsonist who, according to investigators, started the blaze on the back porch.
Hours before, firefighters battled smoke and flames at the house. The owner said he had just bought the place last week and started renovations.
"I'm happy there was no one living here. It's very concerning to have somebody who's deranged walking around with the mentality to do something like this," said owner Mark Mann.
According to investigators Monday night's fire is similar to other arsons in Williamsport over the past few years.
There was a home on Park Place which was vacant at the time a fire was ignited on the back porch Halloween night last year. A nearby garage was destroyed by an arsonist the same night.
Investigators said a total of 13 arsons have been investigated since 2007. Some were garage fires and almost half were house fires which were started on the back porch.
Some neighbors on Fifth Avenue fear their home could be next.
"That bothers me. I'm glad nobody was living into it and stuff and nobody got hurt and that," said neighbor Boyd Heim.
"I hope they do catch whoever is doing it. If no one has gotten hurt up to this point, you never know. That could cause somebody their life," said neighbor William London.
Investigators have not said the fires were set by the same person or persons and no arrests have been made yet.
Fire officials ask city residents to keep a close watch in their neighborhoods to prevent a potential firebug from striking again.
Anyone with information that could help solve the arsons is asked to call the hotline number at 570-327-7575.
