Date: Fri 28-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

firebomb-Botsford-D'Addario

Full Text:

Botsford Industrial Building Firebombed

(with photo)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Botsford firefighters responded to an arson set off by firebombs early

Wednesday morning at the D'Addario Sand and Stone Company on Button Shop Road.

Fire Marshal George Lockwood said five Molotov cocktails were thrown by

someone at the gravel mine's scale building on the north side of Button Shop

Road about 2 am. Three of the five firebombs ignited, setting the small office

building ablaze and causing an estimated $5,000 in damage, the fire marshal

said.

There were no injuries.

Police officer Dominick Salvatore who was on patrol at the time of the fire

initially responded to the call and put out the blaze with the fire

extinguisher which is carried in police cars, Mr Lockwood said.

The fire posed an explosion hazard to gasoline pumps near the scale building

but the pumps did not ignite, Mr Lockwood said.

Fire officials are holding the two Molotov cocktails which did not explode as

evidence for an investigation, the fire marshal said.

Fire officials believe the firebombing incident is related to a similar

incident May 16 in Sandy Hook.

Sandy Hook firefighters responded to a set brush fire late May 16 off Jo-Mar

Drive reported by a motorist passing by on nearby Interstate-84. Someone threw

a firebomb against a rock causing the device to explode and burn adjacent

vegetation in a « to ‹ acre area. The fire was set along the isolated section

of Jo-Mar Drive closest to I-84. Firefighters collected evidence from that

firebombing.

The two firebombing incidents appear to be related, said police Detective

Sergeant Henry Stormer, who is also a deputy fire marshal.

"We're currently investigating," he said, adding fingerprint evidence will be

submitted for laboratory analysis.

"I think there's a high probability of arrests," he said.

Charges in the case would include third-degree arson and manufacture of bombs,

both of which are felonies and carry serious penalties.