3 Fires in 2 Days on Same Little Rock Block Likely Arson

Police in Little Rock, Ark., say three house fires in two days on the same block of a street in the Quapaw Quarter historic neighborhood apparently stem from a dispute among residents of the area.

Authorities say that, early on Aug. 28, a house at 2508 South Summit Street in the neighborhood south of the city’s downtown area caught fire. The next morning, fires occurred at a home at 2515 South Summit and a vacant house next door, according to Barry Burke, assistant fire marshal of the Little Rock Fire Department.

All three homes charred by the blazes were unoccupied at the time the fires started, according to Capt. Jason Weaver of the fire department.

Little Rock’s fire marshal is investigating who lives in the homes, Weaver said.

The fires followed drive-by shooting shortly after midnight on the morning of Aug. 27 at the 2515 South Summit home, injuring resident Fred Walker. No information on Walker’s condition was available Sunday.

The first blaze occurred after 4 a.m. Friday, Weaver said. Firefighters were called to the 2515 South Summit home just over a day later, shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday, and then had to return about 11 a.m. when flames were reported in a vacant house next door, at 2517 Summit.

Burk said embers from the fire earlier that day had apparently lodged in the attic of the vacant house.

Officials estimated damage to the home at 2508 Summit St. $30,000 and to 2515 Summit at $50,000, Weaver said. There was no damage estimate for the other home, because it was vacant and the owner couldn’t be found immediately.

Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com