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ELF burns 'Street of Dreams' near Seattle
The media is slanting coverage of this arson, supposedly carried out by ELF, to be negative for the Briana Waters trial.
WOODINVILLE, Wash. - Four large homes are burning at a "Street of Dreams" model home development north of Woodinville. Snohomish County District Seven Chief Rick Eastman tells KING 5 that a sign saying ELF was left at the scene.
ELF or Earth Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for other arsons, including one at the University of Washington in 2001 for which a woman is now on trial in Tacoma.
A massive fire burned at least four large homes at a "Street of Dreams" model home development north of Woodinville early Monday.
No injuries have been reported in the three-alarm fire, which started around 4 a.m. Monday.
Eastman says some of the homes were still under construction. He said one is a total loss and two homes are substantially damaged. He says fires also were set at a total of six homes.
Eastman also said that the fires are suspicious because they were set in multiple places in separate homes.
The Street of Dreams is an annual showcase of luxury homes in the Seattle area. The latest development is off Highway 522 at Echo Lake Drive.
Eastman says police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating
Photo at: http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_030308WAB_street_dreams_fires_LJ.1a79d3a7.html
ELF or Earth Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for other arsons, including one at the University of Washington in 2001 for which a woman is now on trial in Tacoma.
A massive fire burned at least four large homes at a "Street of Dreams" model home development north of Woodinville early Monday.
No injuries have been reported in the three-alarm fire, which started around 4 a.m. Monday.
Eastman says some of the homes were still under construction. He said one is a total loss and two homes are substantially damaged. He says fires also were set at a total of six homes.
Eastman also said that the fires are suspicious because they were set in multiple places in separate homes.
The Street of Dreams is an annual showcase of luxury homes in the Seattle area. The latest development is off Highway 522 at Echo Lake Drive.
Eastman says police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating
Photo at: http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_030308WAB_street_dreams_fires_LJ.1a79d3a7.html
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In Modesto, Battalion Chief Hugo Patino looked over a charred and nearly destroyed home -- a home that was empty and is now set for auction.
"A fire in an empty house is always cause for suspicion," Patino said.
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Investigators said the fire was intentionally set. It could've been started by anyone, and so far, there are no suspects.
Sacramento fire investigator Steve Johnson said spite, revenge and pyromania are a few reasons for arson.
But firefighters are adding desperation to that list.
"Nationally, we've been told foreclosed homes have been set on fire," Johnson said. "People are thinking this is the easy way out."
The California Department of Insurance said potential arsons in foreclosed homes doubled from seven in 2006 to 14 in 2007.
Although the numbers may seem small, it's a big concern for state investigators and local fire departments.
Johnson said his department hasn't seen an increase in foreclosure arsons but fears it's coming.
"That sign in the front yard is always going to be in the back of our head going, 'I need to really concentrate on why is this an accidental fire? To make it look like an accidental fire? And in retrospect, they are trying to burn their house down to pay it off?'" Johnson said.
With the potential for more arson fires, officials are sending a strong message to anyone looking for a quick escape from financial woes.
"If we have someone set a structure fire that's an arson and one of our firefighters get hurt, they will be chased harder than anything that's been chased in their whole life," Johnson said.
Copyright 2008 by KCRA.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.kcra.com/news/15362605/detail.html?subid=10100243
And read what one person wrote on a seattle news blog about these fucking shithole earth-raping subdivisions built for the rich to be the ones with access to what little nature is left (so they don't have to live with the consequences of the industrial capitalism they promote. It is similar to the shipbreaking yards fouling the Bangladeshi coast while dismantlying ships used to bring goods and raw materials to the West, or the massive garbage dumps full of first world garbage in third world nations):
"This does bring up the bigger issue, which I do not see being talked about in the news. I live 1 mile from this fire. I have been here for over 31 years and watched the indiscriminate approval of more and more developments in our fragile area. Our community strongly opposed this development from the beginning, because it endangers our aquafer system, and other environmental concerns. Even though detailed proof was provided by the group that opposed the development, Snohomish County still allowed it.
There were articles in the news about the dangers this development would create in our community, and they were all ignored by the county. I have personally been told by a female Snohomish County employee that, quote: "This county is run by a Good Old Boy system, and is very corrupt".
It is sad that this fire happened, and I believe is counter-productive. At the same time, I would like to see Snohomish County be accountable for their unethical and environmentally corrupt decisions made upon greed for more tax dollars at the expense of the quality of life by existing residents. My taxes have skyrocketed here, yet my quality of life, and that of my community, continues to diminish due to their blatant disregard for the safety of our community and environment. Research into this would prove what I am saying. I would love it if a "60 Minutes" or "20/20" type investigation would expose Snohomish County corruption."
Don't believe the "green built" hype. A green built home that destroys habitat and exacerbates erosion and suburban sprawl and builds new roads is certainly NOT eco-friendly in any way.
P.S.- I love the way the builder listed one of the eco-friendly features when describing the homes as "improved indoor air quality" in an article about the fires. This is how much of a hollow scam these homes were.