Bellingham Police detained a suspect following a string of trash fires in the city on Monday, March 25. The man was detained in an empty lot along Alabama Street at about 7:30 p.m.
Bellingham Fire Department first responded to a call at 1100 block of Woodstock Way for a pile of garbage on fire next to a dumpster at the apartment complex, Fire Chief Bill Hewett said.
“While the engine was on scene with that, the fire department got a call for a dumpster on fire behind the Goodwill store at the 1200 block of Sunset,” Hewett said.
Another engine was dispatched there.
A witness called 911 for a third fire near the 2800 block of Grant Street, where he told police he saw the suspect start a fire in a residential recycling can.
The witness, who declined to be identified for this story, said he was able to close the lid on the bin to extinguish the fire. However, he said stayed on the phone with dispatch to ensure police were able to find the suspect.
“We had a large law enforcement presence around here,” Hewett said, in a light drizzle on Alabama Street. “Witnesses were able to point out a subject to law enforcement and they were able to engage with him.”
The suspect is currently in custody.
“Really at this point, we can’t positively piece the other two fires together with this fire,” Hewett said. “That’s still part of the whole investigation process.”
This story will be updated when more information is available.
Isaac Stone Simonelli is CDN’s enterprise/investigations reporter; reach him at isaacsimonelli@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 127.
