Hazel Green (March 29, 2009)
HAZEL GREEN -
A rash of vehicle fires in Hazel Green have families worried. Investigators said nearly a dozen vehicles were torched in roughly a two-mile radius of Hazel Green.
A Madison County Deputy Fire Marshal confirmed eight vehicles spread out over three different locations were torched in less than one hour in Hazel Green.
The Madison County Sheriff's Department is also working this case. Madison County Investigator Brent Patterson says this is happening in neighborhoods and rural areas, and it all appears to be random.
Right now, investigators are trying to determine if there is more than one person setting the fires. Patterson says the concern they have is someone getting killed.
"What scares us is that whoever may be doing this as just a prank, having a good time riding around, you know of course something like that turns into something worse somebody getting killed in a home," said Patterson. "Then they're like, 'uh oh, I didn't mean to do that'."
Investigator Patterson says the fires may be gang-related. If you have information on who is responsible for setting these fires, please call the Madison County Sheriff's Department at (256) 722-7181. You can also call the Madison County Fire Marshal at (256) 851-6947.
Over the weekend, volunteer firefighters were dispatched to Bolden Hughey Road, Lemley Road, and Blue Water Drive.
William Moreno, who lives off of Lemley Road, said his wife's car was parked right next to the house. When the fire started, the heat somehow set off the car alarm.
"I was upset to say the least but at the same time there was two others that was going on at the same time, so the fire department was stretched to the limit," he said.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in either one of these fires. Whoever set these fires cost families in this area close to $110,000 in property damage.
A Madison County Deputy Fire Marshal confirmed eight vehicles spread out over three different locations were torched in less than one hour in Hazel Green.
The Madison County Sheriff's Department is also working this case. Madison County Investigator Brent Patterson says this is happening in neighborhoods and rural areas, and it all appears to be random.
Right now, investigators are trying to determine if there is more than one person setting the fires. Patterson says the concern they have is someone getting killed.
"What scares us is that whoever may be doing this as just a prank, having a good time riding around, you know of course something like that turns into something worse somebody getting killed in a home," said Patterson. "Then they're like, 'uh oh, I didn't mean to do that'."
Investigator Patterson says the fires may be gang-related. If you have information on who is responsible for setting these fires, please call the Madison County Sheriff's Department at (256) 722-7181. You can also call the Madison County Fire Marshal at (256) 851-6947.
Over the weekend, volunteer firefighters were dispatched to Bolden Hughey Road, Lemley Road, and Blue Water Drive.
William Moreno, who lives off of Lemley Road, said his wife's car was parked right next to the house. When the fire started, the heat somehow set off the car alarm.
"I was upset to say the least but at the same time there was two others that was going on at the same time, so the fire department was stretched to the limit," he said.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in either one of these fires. Whoever set these fires cost families in this area close to $110,000 in property damage.
