Rash of overnight vehicle fires keeps Tulsa Fire Department busy

Friday, November 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Thousands of dollars in damage, and a lot of wasted time, leaves Tulsa firefighters searching for answers. It seems someone set fire to several cars along 11th Street early Friday morning. And as News on Six reporter Heather Brooker explains, arson is as costly as it is careless.

Itâ€™s not something you see very often, car after car engulfed in flames, reduced to ashes. But it did happen early Friday morning as eight cars were set on fire in five different areas. Tulsa Fire Department Captain Hubert Rouse "This was highly unusual to have this many cars set on fire.â€ In fact, Rouse says the fire department responds to about one car fire a night. "It kept the fire department extremely busy."

The fires first flamed near 7th and Troost. And over a two-hour period, more calls came out going east along 11th, all the way to 75th East Avenue. Rouse says damage to the cars and nearby buildings reached almost $40,000. Right now, there are no suspects. "They did happen within about a 2 hour span. And that gives the indication that most likely that someone or maybe several were involved in setting these fires."

The problem with solving this case a long with other arson cases is that there were no witnesses, it happened late at night, and as you can see all of the evidence was destroyed. And that's why Rouse says the public's information can be so crucial to these cases. "I think it brings a certain awareness to it. Trying to protect your automobiles trying to make sure they're safe." Safe from any further flames.

The Tulsa Fire Department is asking for your help in solving these fires. You can call the Arrest Arson hotline at 596-2776.