SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Fire Department chief Charles Hood says there is no evidence suggesting one person or group is responsible for a string of fires on the East Side since March 15.
"There is no serial arsonist and it's a term we'd never use," Hood told KENS 5 in an interview.
City leaders Monday held an emergency meeting to answer questions from Denver Heights and Dignowity Hill residents. Some neighbors are concerned fires in their neighborhoods are connected.
"We don't believe this is by accident," Ryan Proudfoot said. Firefighters evacuated he and his family during the first fire of concern, March 15 on Center Street.
Proudfoot is among a number of residents who expressed concern someone is targeting new development around the neighborhood.
"For the next 12 months, we're going to be right next to 18 new developments going up that we see as 18 potential targets," he told city leaders.
Investigators say two of the eight fires may be connected, but that the others are more likely unrelated crimes of opportunity.
Someone could've stolen construction equipment and burned the building to destroy evidence, arson bureau chief Doug Berry suggested.
Or squatters might've lost control of a fire meant to provide heat, he added.
"So far, there's been absolutely nothing" leading investigators to believe the properties' owners are responsible for the fire, Berry said.
"The things we look at - the patterns, the science - it's not indicating there's one person going around setting these fires," Hood said.
Hood noted that structure fires are up 26 percent, citywide, compared to the same date last year. More people have so far died in fires, too.
To date this fiscal year, 39 structures have burned in city council's District 2, which includes Dignowity Hill and Denver Heights. On the same day last year and in 2020, SAFD had responded to 31 structure fires in District 2.
Still, officials validated residents' frustrations with the city's response to their complaints. Neighbors contend their concerns have been met with too many dial tones and too much red tape.
"It disturbs me to hear that people call over and over and over again and can't get the police to respond," San Antonio Police chief William McManus said before giving out his direct phone line.
Proudfoot asked whether an ordinance could require developers to install lights, cameras, or maintain a security patrol.
City staff indicated they'd discuss residents' security concerns when city council rewrites development laws later this year.