FBI: Ecoterrorism Possible Motive For Maryland Fires
Fire Marshals: 12 Homes Destroyed, 29 Others Damaged
POSTED: 6:25 am EST December 6,
2004
UPDATED: 6:26 pm EST December 6,
2004
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INDIAN HEAD, Md. -- An FBI agent said arson fires at an affluent Maryland development in suburban Washington, D.C., may have been set by ecoterrorists. FBI investigators said they are checking into all possible motives for the early morning arson fires, which caused an estimated $10 million in damage to the homes, which were under construction. 
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Officials say the four-alarm fire in Indian Head destroyed 12 homes and damaged 29 others, despite the fact that the buildings were relatively spread out and had been soaked by rain recently.Investigators say the houses were on lots of about ¼ acre each -- and overall, the fire spread across 10 acres. "A number of houses have been burned by fire. It's sporadic, they're not in a line, there's one here, one there," said Charles County spokeswoman Nina Voehl.She also said one of the houses burned was occupied, but there have been no injuries.Environmental groups have criticized the development for years because it sits next to a nature preserve. A Sierra Club report had criticized the development as "quintessential sprawl" that threatens "fragile" wetlands and historical sites. After the fires, the Sierra Club issued a statement saying it "strongly condemns all acts of violence in the name of the environment."All the homes that burned were under construction and ranged in price from $400,000 to $500,000, said W. Faron Taylor, a deputy state fire marshal.WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., talked to one man who saw the reports on the news and drove by to try and find out if his house was one of those involved. He said the house was supposed to be an early Christmas present for him and his wife."My wife and I, we're due to close in about two days. We go to settlement in two days," Jacque Hightower said. "We woke up this morning and looked at the news and my wife screamed, 'Our house is on fire!' I came down here to find out what's going on. We don't even know if it affected our house or anything."
Slideshow: Images From WRC-TV | More ImagesOfficials say the four-alarm fire in Indian Head destroyed 12 homes and damaged 29 others, despite the fact that the buildings were relatively spread out and had been soaked by rain recently.Investigators say the houses were on lots of about ¼ acre each -- and overall, the fire spread across 10 acres. "A number of houses have been burned by fire. It's sporadic, they're not in a line, there's one here, one there," said Charles County spokeswoman Nina Voehl.She also said one of the houses burned was occupied, but there have been no injuries.Environmental groups have criticized the development for years because it sits next to a nature preserve. A Sierra Club report had criticized the development as "quintessential sprawl" that threatens "fragile" wetlands and historical sites. After the fires, the Sierra Club issued a statement saying it "strongly condemns all acts of violence in the name of the environment."All the homes that burned were under construction and ranged in price from $400,000 to $500,000, said W. Faron Taylor, a deputy state fire marshal.WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., talked to one man who saw the reports on the news and drove by to try and find out if his house was one of those involved. He said the house was supposed to be an early Christmas present for him and his wife."My wife and I, we're due to close in about two days. We go to settlement in two days," Jacque Hightower said. "We woke up this morning and looked at the news and my wife screamed, 'Our house is on fire!' I came down here to find out what's going on. We don't even know if it affected our house or anything."
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