Midlothian police are holding a “person of interest” in connection with a string of fires reported Thursday evening and Friday morning, police said.
The person, whose identity has not yet been released, was arrested at about 6 a.m. Friday, Midlothian police said.
No injuries were reported in the four separate fires that were started in various places in the city, police said.
Preliminary investigations by the Midlothian Fire Department determined the cause and origin of each fire to be suspicious, police said.
The first fire started about 9:14 p.m. Thursday inside a dumpster in the 3200 block of West 147th Street, police said. Emergency officials arrived to find the the dumpster engulfed in flames.
Ten minutes later, Midlothian firefighters were called to the 14600 block of Sawyer Avenue for an attached garage fire, police said. Flames were spotted inside the garage when firefighters arrived.
At 11:11 p.m. Thursday, firefighters were dispatched to the 14600 block of Spaulding Avenue for a reported porch fire, police said. Debris on the porch was burning.
Firefighters were called about 2:13 a.m. Friday to the 14600 block of South Kedzie Avenue for a large trash receptacle fire, police said.
Midlothian firefighters were able to extinguish the flames at all four locations, police said.
Members of the Midlothian Police Department, Illinois State Police Fire Marshall and MABAS 22 Cause and Origin Task Force are investigating.
No charges had been filed by late Friday afternoon.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
