Newport Police News Releases

Incident: Suspicious Fire Case: 08N-01947

Location: 600 block of SW Hurbert Street

Date/Time: 05-31-08 12:21 a.m.

Details: On 05/31/08 at 12:21 a.m., the Newport Fire Department and Newport Police Department were dispatched to a structure fire in a vacant apartment in the 600 block of SW Hurbert Street in Newport. A nearby Lincoln County Deputy Sheriff and a Newport Police officer arrived on scene first. The Deputy was able to extinguish most of the fire in the living room area of the apartment with a fire extinguisher. One of the neighbors discovered a small fire in the rear of the apartment and extinguished it by himself. Officers evacuated all the neighboring apartments, which forced about 12 persons out onto the street for about an hour.

Officers and fire personnel identified three locations inside the apartment where small fires had been started. Additional evidence indicated that the apartment had been forcefully entered. The interior of the apartment suffered fire and smoke damage. None of the other apartments suffered any known damage.

The fire is being investigated by the Newport Police and Fire departments. Any persons with information regarding this incident are requested to contact Detective Sergeant Tony Garbarino of the Newport Police at (541) 574-3348.

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Information Released By: Sgt Tom Simpson, (541) 574-3348