The Kingston Observer: Arson!

$5,000 Reward Offered

Story by Dan Sapir & Dennis Randall

(Friday, May 24 10:58PM) Fire officials have ruled yesterday's barn blaze at Pottle Street to be the work of one or more arsonists. The fire occurred at 3:00 Thursday afternoon. In a statement released to the press late this afternoon, the Kingston Fire Department said:

"It is the opinion of the joint investigative team headed by the State Fire Marshals office and assisted by the Kingston Fire and Police Departments that the fire is of incendiary origin.

"Investigators took samples of the debris for laboratory analysis and an electrical expert checked all wiring and anything electrical that was in the building. There was no heating system and there was no mechanical equipment in the building that was found that could have contributed to the start of the fire."

Arson Watch Reward program notices have been posted near the property advising the public that this was the scene of a suspicious fire and a reward of up to $5,000.00 is being offered for information which helps to detect an arson fire.

The on scene investigated ended at 2:30 this afternoon. One cadaver sniffing dog and another trained for accelerant detection had been used to search the rubble.

Sergeant Kevin McMahon, a fire investigator from the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Section, told the Observer that this represents standard procedure when dealing with a fire that is both fast moving and where responding fire personnel were unable to gain entry to the structure because of the intense heat and flame. Firefighters had searched the debris thoroughly in case anyone was in the building, but the intensity of the fire destroyed the contents. The cadaver detection canine was used to confirm no one was in the debris.

Sergeant Kevin McMahon, a state police fire investigator surveys the aftermath of the fire.
Photo by Dennis Randall

McMahon told the Observer that any individual who was in the vicinity of the fire has been questioned. McMahon said that film was confiscated from two contractors who were working at the ballfields during the time the fire broke out.

A timeline of events is beginning to emerge. Contractor Leo McRae told the Observer that his film with 10-12 fire photos had been confiscated by fire investigators along with a disposable camera belonging to a contractor with Kevin's Landscaping. McRae said he was at the far end of the ballfield site when he saw smoke. He drover closer to the scene and saw "The whole side of the barn on fire". He said he called the fire department from a cell phone at about 2:45 pm. He then called the project engineer and Ballfield Committee member Tony Borrelli. McRae said Borrelli then called Ballfield Chairman Ted Alexiades and Town Administrator Kevin Donovan. Donnovan, Selectman Richard Kenney, and Alexiades were on the scene quickly. McRae told the Observer that the Town Administrator and Ted Alexiades had been on the site earlier that morning and that at 8:45 am, they directed the removal of a container box and shed from an area adjacent to the barn. Further, he stated that he first reported to the jobsite at 6:15 that morning. McRae said Sharon Davis confronted him and said that work should not begin prior to 7:00 am. He said that about 10 days ago, Davis had given permission to locate the structures adjacent to the barn, a statement strongly denied by Davis.

Fire Chief Jon Alberghini was unable to confirm the McRae call at this point. He said the first known call came in from a downtown source close to 3:00 pm. Both a police and fire apparatus presence remained at the Davis property through the night and at least four investigators were at the scene this morning and afternoon and the scene has been secured with yellow police tape.

Fire Chief Jon Alberghini begins the process of answering scores of phone messages relating to the Pottle Street fire.
Photo by Dennis Randall

ARSON REWARD - CALL
1-800-682-9229
or
1-781-585-0522

Davis/Pottle St. Fire Articles:
Pottle Street Fire Photos
Pottle St. Barn Burns - Arson Suspected
Pottle Street Land Dispute
Authorization to Sell Land
Additional Pottle St. Documents Found
A Pottle Street 'Deal' May be Brewing
Pottle Pot Boils into Legal Realm