Arson

A volunteer firefighter in Oklahoma has been arrested, suspected of setting several fires. Dustin Davis is a Boynton firefighter. He turned himself in Tuesday and is now in the Muskogee County jail on one charge of third degree arson. Below is a transcript of a 911 call that investigators said led them to Davis. Man: "I'd like to report a fire near Boynton. " Dispatch: "Where is it located?" Man: "It's on the southwest side of Boynton, ma'am.

A Reno County fire investigator is looking into whether an overnight house fire in Turon was arson. The district's fire chief tells Eyewitness News when he got on scene just before one this morning most of the house was engulfed in flames. No one lived in the home and utilities were not hooked up. Investigators from the Hutchinson Fire Department will be on the scene today to determine the cause.

A fire in South Wichita kept crews busy early Saturday morning and investigators suspect arson. It happened at a trailer park in the 4400 block of S. Meridian. Fire crews say the blaze started in a shed, and burned two neighboring homes. No one was injured, however one of the homes is no longer liveable. Fire fighters had been called to this same location for another fire earlier, which is why arson is suspected.

Wichita police are investigating an attempted arson at a West Wichita bar Saturday. It happened along U.S Highway 54 around six o'clock at the Siesta Steak and Lounge. A caller told police they had seen the door at the business open and a number of people running from the inside. When authorities investigated, they found that the door had been forced open and that some tried to light alcoholic beverages on fire with matches. There was no fire damage.  The business has been closed for several years.

A Wichita home is destroyed by a fire overnight. Firefighters rushed out to the 6900 block of West 48th St. North just after two o'clock Thursday morning. The home was vacant and had been for several years. No one was hurt.   It's not clear how the fire started, but fire officials say it looks suspicious.

Wichita police believe three fires overnight were possibly set by the same person. They're investigating the fires as arson. The first fire started in the 10200 block of west Westport. Around one in the morning, someone set a blazer on fire in the homeowners driveway. The fire burned the entire front end, totaling the vehicle. A short time later, police say someone threw fireworks at two houses on west Dora street. Two houses, one in the 11400 block and the other in the 11600 block had fire damage in their front yard.

The fire over the weekend at Joyland Amusement Park is being investigated as an arson. Wichita firefighters put out the fire at Joyland Saturday night.  They were able to keep the fire inside of a metal shed at the park.  It caused about $15,000 in damages. This isn't the first time Joyland has caught fire. In March of 2011 someone started a fire at the park and the flames came dangerously close to neighborhood homes. There is a group trying to rebuild and reopen the amusement park.  They say the fire will not stop their efforts.

Arson is to blame for a fire at a mobile home in west Wichita, that left a man injured.  Fire investigators said the fire at 2609 W. McCormick was deliberately set inside the home around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Captain Stuart Bevis declined to say whether the man who lived there was responsible for starting it. Bevis said the 45 year-old man suffered smoke inhilation and cuts to his arms from breaking a window to escape.  The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition.  His current condition is unknown.

A fire that occurred Tuesday is being investigated as arson and a burglary according to Captain Stuart Bevis with the Wichita Fire Department. Crews worked to put out the fire located at 2200 block of South Stoneybrook yesterday morning at about 10 a.m.. A Wichita Police report says that someone went in through the front door and stole two television sets. The suspect also caused heavy damage to one room upstairs in the house. Damage is estimated at $100,000: $75,000 to the structure of the home and $25,000 for the contents.

Fire investigators in Salina are looking for who set a Sunday morning house fire. Crews were dispatched to a house fire at 509 S. 11th Street just before 5am. It was determined the home was vacant. Fire Investigators determined the the cause of the fire was arson. They say it started at the rear of the house on the deck. Damage is estimated at $50,000. Fire crews responded to the same area on February 6th for a trash fire, and February 10th for a garage fire. The garage is directly behind 509 S. 11th street with an alleyway beside them.

Firefighters had a tough time battling a fire at Joyland Friday.  The fire started in a building on the property around six o'clock. The building was fully engulfed in flames.  Firefighters struggled to get it under control because there weren't fire hydrants nearby.   They finally got in out after eight o'clock.  "We don't have any hydrants near so we had to pull hoses and water supply lays," said Tammy Snow, deputy fire chief. Neighbors from the area, gathered around, to watch the fire burn.

For the fourth time in four years, part of the old Joyland amusement park goes up in flames.     As investigators look to find out if it was arson, others are using this fire to make moves to try and reopen the park. Since Joyland closed in 2004, there have been several efforts to reopen the park. A non-profit called Restore Hope Inc . has been fundraising for years to buy the park but it just hasn't raised enough money. Now after Friday night's fire, he group says it will try even harder.

Two people are treated for smoke inhalation after an arson fire early Thursday morning. It happened in the 6200 block of E. Eilerts at around 4:20 am. Authorities didn't go into detail, but said the home was intentionally set on fire with two people inside. The 13-year-old granddaughter of one of the occupants was arrested in connection with the fire. Authorities say she lived there, too. They believe she set the fire in the basement of the home before running away with her boyfriend.  The girl was found Thursday afternoon.  Her boyfriend was not located.

The State Fire Marshall's Office says the home explosion in Downs last Friday was arson.  58-year-old Nyla Powell was in bed when the explosion happened. She's now listed in fair condition at a Wichita hospital. Powell was rescued by a neighbor who was driving by shortly after the explosion happened. The house was engulfed in flames and is a total loss. The Fire Marshall says they are now conducting a criminal investigation into the cause along with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. 

Most volunteer firefighters such as Jerry McMillian say they do it to help people. "It takes it out of you," McMillian says.  "It's a physcial challenge.  It's a mental challenge. " But McMillian says there's also the excitement of fighting rapidly moving, potentially deadly fires.  Reno County Deputy Steve Lutz says that may be what motivated 20-year-old Cody Knox who investigators say set fires, only to turn around and help put them out. "Sometimes you get a couple of them that are in it for the wrong reasons, and they need a little more excitement," Lutz says.  "I don't know if that's his reasoning or not, but that is something that has happened in the past.

A reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for starting the Island Park fire in Winfield. Crime Stoppers of Cowley County is offering up to a $1,000 reward.  The fire broke out just before 10 p.m. March 14. The playground is a total loss. Click here to view photos of the fire It is the second time the playground has burned to the ground. Anyone with information can call the Winfield Police Department at 620-221-5555 or Crime Stoppers at 620-221-7777.

The fire over the weekend at Joyland Amusement Park is being investigated as an arson. Wichita firefighters put out the fire at Joyland Saturday night.  They were able to keep the fire inside of a metal shed at the park.  It caused about $15,000 in damages. This isn't the first time Joyland has caught fire. In March of 2011 someone started a fire at the park and the flames came dangerously close to neighborhood homes. There is a group trying to rebuild and reopen the amusement park.  They say the fire will not stop their efforts.

A volunteer firefighter in Oklahoma has been arrested, suspected of setting several fires. Dustin Davis is a Boynton firefighter. He turned himself in Tuesday and is now in the Muskogee County jail on one charge of third degree arson. Below is a transcript of a 911 call that investigators said led them to Davis. Man: "I'd like to report a fire near Boynton. " Dispatch: "Where is it located?" Man: "It's on the southwest side of Boynton, ma'am.

The Wichita Fire Department, ATF and FBI are offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the fire that destroyed a Wichita mosque on Halloween. Wichita fire investigators recently reclassified the fire  arson.  They are asking for the public's help in finding suspects in the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact fire investigators at (316) 337-9146 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111. So far, police have not made any arrests. The fire on October 31, 2011 caused more than $100,000 in damage to the mosque at 3406 W. Taft.

A home in western Kansas catches fire, killing a mother and  three children.  That happened Saturday morning in Scott City. One of the children died at the scene. The mother and the two other children were flown to Wichita where they died later that day. The children ages ranged from 4-8. Authorities tell eyewitness news that one child was the mothers and the other two were her boyfriends. Officials have ruled out arson and are still looking into a cause. The Hutchinson News reported the fire started in the laundry room of the two-bedroom home.