Story Published:
May 27, 2008 at 5:55 PM CDT
Story Updated:
May 27, 2008 at 6:10 PM CDT
SPRINGFIELD -- Fire marshals are searching for an arsonist who took aim on a duplex just south of Springfield early Tuesday morning near the intersection of Ridgecrest Drive at Montclair Street. While investigators search for leads, those who live there lost a sense of safety.
What woke up one person in this duplex in the middle of the night was good instincts. It might as well have been a bad dream.
"The air conditioning cut off and the ceiling fan went off. That woke me up, so I rolled over and looked outside the window and it was red,” said Amy Hinterberg. "I got up, peeked out the blinds, and all I saw was smoke!"
Battlefield Fire Protection District firefighters say Hinterberg saw two fires -- one near her bedroom, the other on her neighbors’ front porch.
“The fire was at the front door. It limits how the people can get out, through the front door or the garage. The fire by the air conditioner could have gotten under the house and it could have been extremely dangerous,” said Randy Sweet, an investigator for the state fire marshal’s office.
"The fire investigator told us last night that he didn't want to alarm us but it was intentional, and we weren't the targets,” Hinterberg said later Tuesday.
"When I came outside calling 911 and waiting for police, I did hear rustling. I assumed it was cats or dogs but that worried me that I could be out there with whoever did it,” she said.
Investigators ask the public for any information related to this case. You can call the Greene County Sheriff's Department or Missouri's Arson Tip Line at 1-800-392-7766. The tip line accepts anonymous tips and an arrest and conviction could lead to a reward up to $5,000.
