Authorities in northwest Iowa believe they’ve found the persons responsible for more than a dozen fires set at vacant farm sites over the past couple of years. Three Emmetsburg teens are facing charges. The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s office says the first reports came in July of 2007 with arson fires set on abandoned farms in West Bend Township near the Pocahontas County line.
Since then, a total of 13 arson blazes were discovered with the final fire reported on July 6th of this year. The fires caused nearly $250,000 in damage to old farm houses, building sites, vehicles and machinery. On Monday, 19-year-old Lucas Ezarski and 17-year-old Mason Hoffman were both charged with second degree arson and fifth degree theft of property. Eighteen-year-old Jacob Firkins is charged with second degree arson.
Contributed by Ryan Long, KICD, Spencer