11-Year Old Boy Arrested for Arson in Keizer

Police believe an 11-year old boy is responsible for starting a series of fires in Keizer.

Salem-News.com/KATU photo by Tim King

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer Police and the Keizer Fire District responded to 5130 7th Avenue Northeast last night over a string of fires at the residence within a period of a month.

Keizer Police Sgt. John Troncoso says the 11-year old male juvenile who resides at the residence was arrested for three counts of first-degree Arson and lodged in the Mid Valley Juvenile Detention Facility.

Troncoso says the first incident was reported Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 at 03:35 a.m. That involved a fire at a residence that was occupied at the time of the incident, and involved Keizer Police removing a woman from the home during the fire.

"There were no injuries. The fire, which began on an exterior wall, caused an estimated $65,000 in damage to the structure and its contents," Troncoso said.

The Keizer Fire District began an investigation into the then-undetermined cause of the fire.

The second incident was reported on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 7:28 p.m.

Troncoso said, "The residents were on-site at the time of the incident, and there were no injuries as a result of the fire. This incident prompted an investigation on behalf of both the Keizer Fire District and the Keizer Police Department."

He says the investigation was ongoing at the time of the third report.

The third incident was reported last night at approximately 8:58 p.m. according to Sgt. Troncoso.

"The residence was occupied at the time of this incident, which caused no injuries. This incident resulted in the clearance of the aforementioned cases, with all three cases being closed by arrest."

He says the incidents on June 23rd and June 29th caused additional minor damage to the residence.