UPDATE: The vacant building that was on fire on 7th street this morning is already being demolished.


 

They say where there's smoke, there's fire; and in Rockford's case, there could also be a serial arsonist.

I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but, and I don't think I'm alone in this, it has to be more than a coincidence that four vacant buildings in Rockford have burned down in the span of two weeks. Most of which are considered to be historic structures that used to be loved by the city's residents.

This morning, WREX announced that there was another blaze in Midtown, in the 600th block of 7th street; it started around 4:30 this morning.

WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader
But if it is arson, why? What would possibly motivate someone to burn these buildings to the ground?

There's been a lot of discussion about rebuilding the city of Rockford, but I don't think this was how anyone planned on doing it. Could this be an insurance scam? Is someone hiding evidence? Are these just bored teenagers? What do you think the cause is?

Whatever it is, I hope it gets figured out soon. The safety of our neighbors, local businesses, and more importantly, the lives of our firefighters are at stake.

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