[TGE-mail] Multiple fires set on Magnolia and S Compton last night

[Charles Bryson]

Chris,

Obviously I am sorry to hear of what transpired yesterday. I will certainly have Chief Jenkerson look into the matter. Please know that the overwhelming majority of our fire department personnel take our service to the public very seriously. I will try to determine what took place yesterday and make sure everyone is aware of the need to interact in a positive way with the public. For we always want to make you "Justifiably Proud" 

Thanks again.

Charles Bryson
Director of Public Safety
City of St.Louis
>>> "Chris Freeland" <cfreeland27 at gmail.com> 04/02/08 10:24 AM >>>
Last night at 9pm we turned into our alley off 2600-2700 Compton (heading
towards Virginia).  There were 2 boys, approx 10-12 years old, in the
alley.  I immediately noticed 3 things:

1. a gas can sitting in the alley
2. a mattress  and box springs blocking part of the alley
3. a small fire burning behind the garage of 3219 Magnolia

As we pulled into the alley they approached our car and started banging on
our windows, saying "Sir, sir, roll your window down."  We did not, and
pulled ahead and parked our car behind our house.  We went to put out the
fire behind 3219 Magnolia, and the kids were already out of sight.  We
walked around the front of 3219 Magnolia and informed the residents that
there had been a fire behind their garage.  They called the police.  We
walked back to the alley and saw that there were several small fires burning
in the alley behind the 3100 block of Magnolia, specifically a large one
behind 3145 Magnolia.  We called 911 and reported that 2 kids were setting
fires along Magnolia and S Compton.  We were transferred to the fire
department and reported the same to them.  We called our other neighbors
along S Compton and told them to check & make sure there were no fires
burning behind their houses or garages.

The fire truck showed up 5 minutes later and as they approached I pointed to
the one fire that was still burning in the alley (the rest had burned out).
The firemen got out of the truck, unspooled the hose, and put out the fire.
They then got back into the truck and drove off, all while I was standing
right there, waiting for them to do their job before I interrupted and told
them about the series of fires.  I never got the chance to give them any
information because they never made any eye contact with me, had a general
attitude of being inconvenienced by such a small fire, and promptly drove
off.

I walked over to the fire that they put out, which was behind an open garage
at 3145 Magnolia, and noticed that the garage was on fire.  They had put out
the small fire behind the garage, but had left the garage itself burning.  I
once again called 911 and reported the garage fire.

When the same truck and crew showed up the second time I pointed out the
fire, then went to make sure that there were no other fires burning in the
alleys between Virginia & Michigan, which is what I had expected the fire
department to do in the first place!  The fire truck stayed on the scene
until the police arrived and I reported the gas-soaked mattress in the
alley.  I was told to report it to CSB, and that we'd probably have to wait
until the next bulk trash day before anything was taken away.  The police
arrived and we made a report.

I have great respect for the fire department and police, and worked with
both during my tenure as president of this neighborhood association.  That
said, I have never been treated so dismissively over something as serious as
multiple fires set by juveniles near my home.  If we had not continued
checking into the fire at 3145 Magnolia it's likely that more of the garage
would have burned.  I guess we're lucky this happened in spring and that
there's been a lot of rain lately.

I am well aware that this is a minor incident in the grand scheme of things,
and that vandalism like this is not unusual in our city.  However, I refuse
to accept that I had to walk the blocks last night to ensure more fires
weren't being set after the fire department left the first time, and that
the fire department did not do a thorough or even satisfactory job in the
first place.

This morning I was encouraged when I saw Refuse hauling away the mattress
and other bulky trash.  As I was out taking pictures and surveying the
damage I noticed that there is also a newly broken window along the side of
2715 S Compton, where we had initial contact with the kids.  I don't think
it takes much to assume they did it.

Pictures of everything at:
http://flickr.com/photos/chrisfreeland/sets/72157604352416174/


Chris Freeland
26-27xx S Compton