String of 17 arson fires getting closer to main fire station

RENO, Nev. - Arsonists struck in Reno again Monday for the 17th time in two months and investigators said the fire-starters might be challenging them with a burn pattern that seems to be drawing closer to Reno's main fire station.

''We feel the fires are linked. ... They are closer and closer to the main fire station in downtown Reno,'' said Bill Burney, a fire inspector for the Reno Fire Department.

''It may be possible the pattern is they know we are looking for them and they are trying to challenge us,'' he said.

The latest fire destroyed an empty office at the front of a recycling business on the east side of downtown Reno, within four blocks of the main fire station at East 2nd Street and Evans.

Someone poured gasoline or another flammable liquid on an exterior wall and ignited it some time between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

''We're lucky our neighbors come to work at 5 a.m. and called the fire department,'' said Steve Lantay, assistant plant manager for Global Recycling.

Fire investigators think the same people - possibly a gang of white youths - are responsible for the series of fires at unoccupied buildings and empty businesses all over town dating to March 30.

''Obviously these folks aren't done. Sooner or later they are going to hurt somebody, whether it's themselves or a firefighter or somebody in an adjacent building,'' Burney said.

''Somebody just picked out this building for no reason at all and set it on fire,'' he said after Monday's fire was extinguished at East 5th and Valley.

No one has been injured in the fires but total damage is estimated in excess of $2 million.

The most serious fire caused $500,000 damage May 27 at Saint Mary's Meadowood Medical Plaza on the southern edge of Reno.

''We think whoever is setting these fires is probably setting them for civil disturbance, meaning the motive is against the Fire Department or whoever,'' Burney said.

''Possibly a white group, possibly a gang. Possibly 'Gothic' dress (all black clothing) - against the establishment, consistent with a photograph sent out last week,'' he said.

Authorities publicized photographs last week of two men caught on surveillance cameras spreading gasoline around the medical office.

The men in the photos are white, tall and in their late teens or early 20s. They were wearing black T-shirts and pants and white tennis shoes.

The logo on one shirt appears to be from the heavy metal rock group Korn.

Since then, investigators have investigated more than 20 license plates phoned in as tips to the Secret Witness hot line.

''On fires you look for people on the fringes of these areas who have a habit of wanting to watch the fire,'' Reno Deputy Police Chief Jim Weston said.

''There are certain things we do without discussing details. There is a kind of a plan in place to try to nab somebody,'' he said.

Officials for the medical center announced a $30,000 contribution Monday toward a reward fund now in excess of $36,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

''We are extremely concerned that these senseless acts of crime and destruction be stopped,'' said Jeff Bills, president and CEO of Saint Mary's Health Network.

The fire at the medical center was the first in which the arsonists broke into an occupied building to set a fire. The 17 fires all started at about the same time of day and involved the use of flammable liquids.

Fires have destroyed two homes under construction in northwest Reno, an office complex in southwest Reno, an apartment building near downtown and part of a pallet yard east of downtown.

Smaller fires have damaged the Reno police Internal Affairs building at Idlewild Park, and the Kids Kottage Emergency Child Protection Center and Saint Mary's HealthFirst medical building, both in south Reno.

Two fires set a week ago at construction sites south of Reno were extinguished before they could do much damage.