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Fire chief: East Albany house fire was arson

J.D. Sumner

ALBANY — Albany fire officials are pessimistic about the possibility of determining the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant home in East Albany Monday, but say they’re sure it was arson.

Albany Fire Chief James Carswell reiterated comments made Monday to members of the press, saying that the shear temperature of the blaze will make determining the cause of the fire nearly impossible.

“We feel sure that it was an act of arson, whether it was set intentionally or caught fire through an act of crime, this is arson,” Carswell said. “Unfortunately, it just burned so hot that there isn’t a lot of evidence.”

Fire officials say that the house, a vacant home on the 1300 block of East Society Avenue, caught fire around 4 a.m. Monday.

The fire caused an estimated $40,000 worth of damage to the home, which did not have electricity turned on, Carswell said.

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