SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Authorities in Washtenaw County say they are working to find a serial arsonist after seven suspicious fires burned homes, trash cans and dumpsters in the area.
And a 15-year-old may be to blame.
Officials with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department said they've been investigating several fires that broke out at the Arbor Woods Mobile Home Park near Geddes and Harris roads over the last month.
A total of seven fires were set between Aug. 11 and Sept. 5 -- all of them suspicious and all of them "believed to have been intentionally started," the sheriff's office said on social media.
The sheriff's department along with the Superior Township Fire Department have outlined the seven incidents as followed:
1. 8/11/22 in the 1900 block of Ridgeview: Reports received about a house fire. No injuries were reported.
2. 8/23/22 in the 9700 block of Maplelawn: A garbage can was set on fire outside of a home. The house caught fire, causing the gas line to rupture. A family inside managed to escape.
3. 8/23/22 in the 1900 block of Evergreen Lane: A trash can was set on fire near a home.
4. 8/24/22 in the 1900 block of Spruce Lane: A dumpster was set on fire under the carport and spread to the home. A second home also caught fire where an elderly man was rescued by neighbors. A third home was damaged by the flames.
5. 9/4/22 in the 1900 block of Ridgeview: A dumpster was set on fire near a home. A passerby was able to move the dumpster away from the home.
6. 9/4/22 in the 1900 block of Evergreen Lane: While we were on scene investigating the dumpster fire deputies were made aware of an additional attempt arson under a nearby trailer.
7. 9/5/22 in the 1900 block of Spruce Lane: 15-year-old suspect was observed by neighbors attempting to set fire to a patio.
Deputies say the teen was identified and released to his parents while the prosecutor considers possible charges -- the cause of the other suspected arson cases remains under investigation by authorities along with the Michigan State Police Fire Marshall.
"Anyone with information related to any of these incidents should contact Deputy Bland at Blandc@washtenaw.org or submit a tip anonymously to 734-973-7711 or provide a confidential tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SpeakUP," officials said.
Anonymous online submissions can be made to Crime Stoppers here.