Dayton Fire Captain Peter Whitby said it appeared that someone was inside and set the fire, which was reported just after 8 p.m. An arson investigator was on the scene.
Building owner Matt Heidenreich said in the few days the building has been empty there have been attempts to steal copper pipes and one resident who was sleeping inside had to be removed by police.
“Residents have been able to come and go to get their stuff,” he said. Plumbers and electricians were in the building working on Wednesday and found a resident who was staying inside without permission. Water, gas and electricity were turned off and no one was permitted to sleep there. Heidenreich said the individual claimed he didn’t have anywhere else to stay.
The Red Cross provided lodging for residents for two nights following the gas leak and then opened a shelter for a third night. But Heidenreich said as far as he knew, everyone was now having to rely on friends and relatives for a place to stay.
He said the idea is still to reopen the building and allow residents back in as soon as possible. “It’s just going to be a lot longer restoration now,” he said.
Vectren crews discovered a leak in the main gas line into the building Friday night and further testing revealed several smaller leaks on lines inside the building, Heidenreich said.
Residents complained Friday that they had smelled gas for days and nothing had been done about it. Heidenreich said a Vectren representative was in the building in the last two weeks and discovered that the pilot light on the stove of a vacant unit had blown out and the gas valve had not closed. No further problem had been detected until a resident called about the smell Friday night and responding crews measured an explosive level of natural gas built up inside the building prompting the evacuation.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2124 or kwedell@coxohio.com.
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