Officials believe several recent fires in South Jordan and Sandy may be the work of an arsonist who strikes early in the morning at construction sites.
A task force compared notes on the problem Monday only to be greeted Tuesday morning with news that another home had been torched in South Jordan.At 4:20 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters were called to a house under construction near 1800 West and 10700 South.
South Jordan Fire Chief Gary Whatcott said the blaze destroyed the house, which was in the final stages of construction.
"It is suspicious and in an area where we have had some other fires," Whatcott said.
On. Oct. 29, firefighters doused a fire in the house under construction next door to the house destroyed Tuesday. "And we had two (fires) attempted early Saturday morning in the same subdivision," Whatcott said.
The other fires "alert us to come concerns" the string of recent fires may be related, Whatcott said. "Whether it's the same person or group of persons, I'm not sure yet."
Investigators began sifting through the Tuesday fire about 9 a.m. to determine the cause and assess the dollar amount of the loss.
Sandy fire Battalion Chief Don Chase said Sandy is participating in the joint investigation with South Jordan because of similarities with a fire six days earlier that destroyed 48 units of an apartment complex under construction at 11000 South and 200 East.
Firefighters from five agencies were first called to the Sandy fire at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday and stopped the blaze as it was spreading to the third 24-unit building.
Investigators determined the Sandy fire was intentionally set in one building and that the fire spread to the second building that was destroyed. Components of the investigation led them to ask South Jordan investigators about arson-suspected fires there.
"A task force was meeting yesterday," Chase said. "They recognized the similarities before this morning and were trying to work them" before learning of the Tuesday fire.
The investigation team also includes Salt Lake City, the state Fire Marshal's office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.