GRANT COUNTY, Wash. (DATE) -- The Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office in conjunction with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office announce the formation of a joint Arson Task Force which includes local fire departments and law enforcement to combat a recent string of arson fires in central Grant County.
The Arson Task Force has been formed to help solve a growing arson problem in and around the communities of Quincy, Ephrata, and Soap Lake, and to collaborate on the investigation of future suspicious fires in Grant County. The goal of the Arson Task Force is to focus resources to investigate and prosecute individuals who intentionally destroy personal property and put the lives of first responders in potential danger while fighting these fires. To achieve the best results, it is important to focus on the arson problem through a collaborative effort with fire departments, law enforcement, insurance companies, and the justice system to help reduce the crime of arson.
Local communities have come together to combine resources and to ask citizens to join them in stopping the recent string of area arson. Citizens are asked to be aware of what is going on around their property, and to clean up combustibles that an arsonist could use to start a fire. Citizens should notify their local fire department, law enforcement or the Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office (509-754-2011) if they have information regarding any fire.
“We know there are people out there who have information that will help us arrest and prosecute the people involved in setting these fires,” said Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Bruce Gribble. “We need help from the public to solve these crimes.”
Contact:
Bruce Gribble, Chief Deputy Fire Marshal
509-754-2011
[email protected]
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PHOTO: The remains of an unoccupied building near Soap Lake, Wash., burned down by a suspicious fire early April 10, 2014. Credit: Grant County Fire Marshal’s Office
