Police Chief Timothy Jackson is pictured during a news conference at City Hall. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

The Jamestown Police Department is looking for a 34-year-old man considered “armed and dangerous” following a series of emergencies occurring in an almost unprecedented half-hour span early Thursday. At the center of three ongoing investigations is the death of an adult woman.

Michael C. Burham is wanted for questioning, though authorities were cautious during a press conference at City Hall in revealing too many details. However, Capt. Robert Samuelson and Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt stressed the importance of locating Burham or his vehicle — a 2018 red Ram 3500 pickup truck with a flat bed.

A tip later led to the location of the truck in Warren.

“We encourage the public, if they are to come across him, to call us immediately,” Jackson said of Burham, later adding, “he should be considered armed and dangerous, and the public should not approach him.”

At about 4:30 a.m., city officers had been sent to 125 William St. for a report of an unresponsive woman. The adult female, whose identity was not released Thursday, was confirmed to be deceased.

Officers and the county's Forensic Investigation Team truck are pictured outside a William Street home Thursday morning. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

Just minutes after the call for the unresponsive woman went out, firefighters and officers were notified of a vehicle fire on Fulton Street. Matt Coon, deputy fire chief, later confirmed the fire was incendiary, meaning a device was reportedly used to start the blaze.

The day’s events began around 4 a.m. when Jamestown officers had responded to Danielson Oil Co. on Crescent Street after a burglary alarm had been activated. Patrol then came across the blaze.

Coon said the fire, which was under control in about 45 minutes, was accidental in nature, likely the result of a “faulty appliance” in a first-floor break room.

Though Jackson did not identify the manner in which the woman died, Schmidt alluded to a homicide.

“Any time there is a homicide, and that’s what we’re dealing with here, we’re called to the scenes so that we can assist with law enforcement in order to develop and preserve evidence. We’ve done that,” the DA told reporters. “There’s been a number of avenues that we’ve pursued on our side. We’ve also reached out to our law enforcement partners outside the state and we’ve gotten some contribution from a number of different agencies here in Chautauqua County, outside the county.”