As Jamestown fire investigators were combing through what little was left of an intentionally-set fire at an abandoned home at 247 Crescent Street on Wednesday, police were looking for a homeless man reportedly living inside the home.
Det. David Kohl of the Jamestown Police Department said that a witness on the scene reported that a man was seen inside the house as recently as Tuesday.
"All the witness knew is that there was a black man living inside, and wasn't able to give much of a description," he said. "He's not in any trouble, we just want to speak with him and check on his well being."
Battalion Chief Roger Sigular said that the house was searched after the blaze was extinguished, and there were no sign of the mystery man.
The fire was reported around 12:30 p.m. at 247 Crescent St., and when first responders arrived, the building was fully engulfed in flames. Jamestown police officer John Rader said that when he arrived, there were almost 80 people in the street watching, which created a dangerous situation since there was a downed powerline sitting in the road.
He said he quickly began to disperse the crowd on both sides of the power line, and moved quickly to stop a man who was about to walk his young child back across the live wire.
With spectators out of harms way, the path was clear for firefighters to enter and do what they do best.
Sigular said when he was coming down East Second Street approaching Winsor Street, without hesitation, he called in an off-duty crew.
"I've been doing this for 20 years and I knew that you don't get that much smoke from a barbecue," he said. "When Engine 4 arrived there was so much smoke in the area that they didn't know if it it was one house or all three on fire."
The home at 247 Crescent St. is situated in the middle of homes at 245 and 249 Crescent St., and since they are only a few feet apart, crews knew they needed to get water pumping quickly.
"We were spraying about 1,500 gallons per minute for 30 minutes and an additional 1,000 gallons per minute from the ladder truck," Sigular said. "Once we knocked the fire down, we saw it had extended to 245, which is also reportedly abandoned."
The fire only partially damaged the outside of 245 Crescent St. as firefighters hit it with a serious amount of water, and 249 Crescent St. apparently sustained some smoke damage, but no damage from the flames.
Sigular said no injuries were reported as a result of the firefighting efforts Wednesday, and said investigators are still working to determine the specific cause of the blaze.
Anyone with information about a past arson, possible future fire or the man reportedly living in the home prior to the blaze is asked to call the Jamestown Fire Department's Arson Tip Line at 483-7509.
