Officials: Center City Fire Ruled Arson, Reward Offered
By Diana Rocco
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Officials say a fire in Center City Tuesday has been ruled arson and now a reward is being offered for information.
Eyewitness video shows what residents woke up to early Tuesday morning -- fire raging just outside their bedroom windows from the building across the street at 13th and Chancellor.
One resident was evacuated in the middle of the night with dozens of others.
"It just went up in flames, and you know the property, the property has been vacant for a long time," said a resident.
The structure was under construction slated to be a new restaurant. Investigators have ruled the fire arson and are now looking for a man.
"It has been determined to be intentionally set and an act of arson. And deliberately setting a fire is a serious, dangerous crime. It puts our firefighters in harm's way, put residents in harm's way," said ATF Special Agent Steven Bartholomew.
"This individual was seen leaving the location prior to the fire and he's an individual that we would like to get identified and to speak with that individual," said Bartholomew.
The fire caused more than a $1 million in damage including a mural not yet finished worth more than $100,000.
"So many people could have been very, very seriously injured," said a resident.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Philadelphia Field Division, announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person (s) responsible for the arson that occurred at the 200 block of S. 13th Street.
The criminal investigation is being conducted by ATF, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia Fire Department.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the ATF 24/7 hotline at 1-888-ATF-FIRE (1-888-283-3473) or email at: ATFTips@atf.gov.
