Street of Dreams arson: terrorism?
Published 11:02 am Tuesday, March 4, 2008
ECHO LAKE — When firefighters rolled up to the Street of Dreams early Monday, flames jumped 100 feet into the sky and smoke billowed from the million-dollar mansions.
Domestic terrorists are suspected of causing around $7 million damage to the dream homes near Echo Lake southwest of Monroe, officials said.
A hand-painted sign on a bedsheet, left at the scene, was signed “ELF,” an acronym of the Earth Liberation Front.
The loose band of environmental activists has taken responsibility for arsons around the Pacific Northwest. Its Web site on Monday featured news accounts of the arsons, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The arson investigation will be spearheaded by the Puget Sound Joint Terrorism Task Force, made up of the FBI, ATF, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office.
“It’s an extremely serious crime and we need to make sure this kind of thing is not tolerated in the county,” Snohomish County Council chairman Dave Somers said. “It’s absolutely senseless violence and we need to do everything we can to stop it, prevent it and prosecute it.”
Federal agents were expected to work through the night Monday. Earlier in the day, they canvassed the neighborhood in search of anyone who might have heard or seen anything, said Nick Starcevic, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators haven’t yet confirmed the banner was left by ELF, said Kelvin Crenshaw, the ATF special agent in charge.
Fire crews found ignition devices in all the homes, Snohomish County Fire District 7 Chief Rick Eastman said.
“The scene is hot. It’s still burning. Every time we put it out, it pops back up,” Crenshaw said. “We don’t know what evidence is there, what evidence is not there.”
Earlier in the day, more than 70 firefighters from around the region were called to battle the three-alarm blaze. The damp smell of smoke could be detected for miles.
The houses were part of the 2007 Street of Dreams, a tour of luxury homes in Snohomish and King counties. One of the houses had an offer pending.
The homes used “Built Green” standards, such as water-permeable sidewalks, superinsulated walls and windows, and products made with recycled materials. Advertising for last summer’s Street of Dreams focused on the environmentally friendly aspects of the houses, which at 4,200 to 4,750 square feet were smaller than some of those featured in years past.
The sign left at the fire scene read: “Built green? Nope. Black. McMansions in RCDs r not green.”
RCD may be a reference to rural cluster developments, a type of project where homes are built close together on rural land while also preserving open space.
“Burning homes to the ground is nothing short of terrorism, and does nothing to promote environmental stewardship,” said Alan Mascord, a designer of one of the destroyed homes.
The fires sent potentially carcinogenic smoke billowing into the air, scorched trees and caused firefighters to use chemical foam to put out the blazes, officials said.
Fire hoses were charged for hours as crews poured thousands of gallons of water onto the smoldering ruins, Eastman said.
“It doesn’t do the environment any good,” the fire chief said.
The houses were to become part of a 48-home subdivision called Quinn’s Crossing, located on part of 115 acres.
Neighbors had fought the project because the homes were built on land flanked by wetlands and atop the only drinking water aquifer for the Cross Valley Water District.
In April 2007, members of the Echo Paradise Community group living near the project sued over fears that future septic tank pollution might harm wetlands and the area’s drinking water. A court settlement in 2007 stipulated more environmental protections and fast-tracked more homes for the developer. It was approved by the County Council, ending the controversy.
“We were very courageous and worked hard to find a win-win solution,” community organizer Laura Hartman said. “We thought we found it. We went about it peacefully and legally.”
Eric Olsen, 21, dropped by the arson scene. He said he grew up in the neighborhood and used to play in the swampy area where the homes were built.
“It sure upset me because I live downstream from it,” he said, adding that he hopes the destruction will discourage more building in the area.
Raina Laako, 19, and her mother Esta Crepps, 40, live in the area.
“It was unreal. It was totally my street,” Laako said. “I didn’t believe it at first.”
Crepps said she was angry at the violence in her neighborhood. If the motive proves to be an attempt to protect the earth, the method was misguided, she said.
“They should have hugged a tree before they blew it up,” Crepps said.
Dozens of federal agents, some wearing hazardous material suits, scoured the area Monday, and a specially trained dog was used to sniff for traces of flammable liquids.
“We’re going to work the fire scene and go where the evidence takes us,” ATF’s Starcevic said. Anything they find likely will be sent to the agency’s crime lab.
“This could take years. It’s not like on TV where it’s going to be solved in an hour,” Starcevic said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
