Sedro-Woolley cars and houses torched in string of arsons

SEDRO-WOOLLEY – A series of arsons early Tuesday destroyed one house, damaged another and burned 14 vehicles here, fire officials said.

Fire Department Battalion Chief Gerald Chandler said no one was injured, although Police Chief Doug Wood said an elderly man suffered minor smoke inhalation.

In addition to the two homes, fires burned a garage and carport, Chandler said.

The first reported fire occurred at 2:47 a.m., but calls continued to come in until after 6 a.m. Investigators found other fires that were set and went out on their own, he said.

Wood said 20 investigators from 13 local, state and federal agencies, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were helping his department process clues at the crime scenes Tuesday. Another team was knocking on doors in the area, searching for clues that might lead to a suspect.

“We really rely on the community to keep their eyes open and be observant,” Wood said, adding that in this town of 10,000 residents, gossip could easily help capture a suspect. “It’s a close-knit community. We have good contact with our residents. If they know something, they’ll call.”

The fires were all within a seven- or eight-block radius in a residential area on the northeast side of this Skagit County city, Chandler said.

He said there have been no other recent arsons in Sedro-Woolley.