Crime & Safety

Fire Department Sends McKinley Debris Samples to State Fire Marshal

While city waits for results, officials try to quiet arson speculation

Unsure of what caused on McKinley Avenue, investigators from the sent debris samples to the State Fire Marshal's Office in Columbus.

Police Chief Stephan B. Wilder said workers at the Marshal's office will conduct chemical analysis on an accelerant found on the back porch area of 516 McKinley Ave., where the the first fire began Thursday morning. The fire soon spread to 520 McKinley Ave., causing what residents described as damages that made the home unfit for living.

No injuries were reported in the fires.

Wilder said officials usually receive test results from the Marshal's office within a week to 10 days, depending on the state agency's workload.

Wilder tried to quell speculation in the community that the fire was the work of an arsonist. That notion arose from court documents that show the owner of 516 McKinley Ave., Robert Tedrow, requested an April 13 eviction for the tenant he rented the property to. However, the records show that Tedrow later cancelled the request.

Either way, Wilder said people shouldn't jump to conclusions just yet.

"It's an undetermined cause, and we're just trying to determine what caused it," Wilder said. "We're still conducting an investigation on the whereabouts of the people from that residence. It's going to take a little bit of time to reach a conclusion and establish the facts."

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