By MONA NAIR
6 News Reporter
OAK RIDGE (WATE) - The city of Oak Ridge is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of a suspect or suspects in two arson cases within the last three months.
A home on Park Lane was set on fire on November 17 and a home on W. Outer Drive was set on fire January 27.
At the Park Lane home, Bill Harman, 91, was asleep inside when the fire started. He said if a neighbor hadn't helped him get out, he would have likely died in the fire.
"She grabbed me, lifted me out of bed, and told me the house was on fire. The smoke was so dense I could not see anything," Harman explained.
He showed us how his garage, two vehicles, and a portion of his home was destroyed. Investigators found cans of accelerant in areas where they believe the fire was set.
Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said investigators submitted samples of the accelerants used to start the fires, along with fingerprints and other evidence to the state crime laboratory for analysis.
At the home on W. Outer Drive, they believe someone poured an accelerant on a mattress in the vacant home and set it on fire.
"Our house could have easily caught fire also," said neighbor Patty Clark.
The fires are the subject of a joint investigation by the Oak Ridge Fire Department, police department, Tennessee Bomb and Arson Task Force and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The case will be presented to the district attorney general for prosecution.
If you have any information about the fires, call the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017, the Oak Ridge Police Department at 865-425-4399 or the Oak Ridge Fire Department at 865-425-3520.
