Arson

MORELAND - A Lincoln County juvenile was taken into custody Tuesday morning and charged with second-degree arson after he was seen leaving a house fire in Stanford, state police said. The fire happened about 9 a.m. at the home of Michael and Misty Humphrey at 2100 Ky. 2141. Lincoln County Fire Chief Danny Glass said the fire was deemed suspicious from the start. When state police responded, they were informed that a 6-foot, white male was seen leaving the scene on a bicycle. Troopers headed south on Ky. 2141 to find the juvenile, who was then transported to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department.

Four fires in the span of 24 hours on the same street have authorities suspecting foul play. Crab Orchard Fire Chief Larry Owsley said the series of blazes all on Manor Boulevard began Tuesday night when an outbuilding owned by Crab Orchard firefighter Ken Price was set on fire. Mid-day Wednesday, two additional outbuildings owned by Bill Severance were reported to be engulfed in flames. Then on Wednesday evening, firefighters responded to a call at 9:30 p.m from neighbors reporting that the home of Sherry and John Garner was on fire.

Four male juveniles were arrested in connection with a house fire that occurred Tuesday evening at 1322 Shun Pike, near Clark Machine Tool & Die. Around 6 p.m., area residents spotted four boys leaving the scene on bicycles about 10 minutes before the fire was noticeable. "I saw four kids leaving out of here on bikes," resident Chris Bruner said. "They left out at a pretty good rate of speed. " "They left in quite a hurry, and that tells you one or two things," Jessamine County Sheriff Kevin Corman said.

Deputy Kentucky State Fire Marshal Chuck Bradley, left, top photo, and Clark County Fire Chief Ralph Ladson survey the destruction to the Lumpkin's Upholstery building after a fire destroyed three commercial buildings in the Yeiser Industrial Park Wednesday evening. Clark County Capt. Robbie McCord, right photo, met a massive wall of fire as he battled the blaze. Bradley ruled out arson as the cause of the fire Thursday. The investigation continues with either electrical or mechanical causes are suspected.

The Nicholasville Police Department is asking for the public's help in finding Corey J. Nellis. According to a news release from Maj. John Branscum, Nellis has active warrants for receiving stolen property and second-degree arson. Nellis was allegedly in possession of a stolen vehicle the NPD had recovered. The police say Nellis allegedly unlawfully entered an impound lot and attempted to burn the vehicle. Anyone with information about Nellis' whereabouts is asked to call Detective Autumn Howard at 885-9467.

MORELAND - At approximately 6 p.m. Saturday, Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Smith detained a 15-year-old in connection with the intentional burning of a barn and vehicle in the Bowen Road area of Lincoln County, near Moreland. According to the sheriff's office, a stock barn owned by Michael Hatter of Stanford was damaged by the fire and at another location nearby, a vehicle owned by Delmar Wilson of Stanford was heavily damaged by the fire. The Kentucky State Police arson investigator has been notified.

The Nicholasville Arson Task Force is investigating a bathroom fire at East Jessamine High School which occurred last Wednesday, Sept. 9. The fire was extinguished by a janitor, but Nicholasville Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Baker said it took about two hours to ventilate the building. The fire, Baker said, involved a piece of paper burning in a trash can and a paper towel dispenser in an upstairs restroom. According to a NFD narrative, Mikki Smith, a member of the school's maintenance staff, said that the fire alarm went off and kids were running down the stairs screaming fire in the boys bathroom.

City police officers and firefighters suspect arson in a small house fire Wednesday night. Firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire at 2 First St. shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday. No one was home, but witnesses reported seeing a man running away from the house, Winchester Fire-EMS Maj. Greg Beam said. "It's not much of a fire," Beam said. "Actually just one row of siding (was damaged) and that was it. " Firefighters noted in their run report that they smelled gasoline at the scene, and Beam confirmed an accelerant was used.

STANFORD - Three juveniles between the ages of 12 and 17 have been charged after Lincoln County authorities learned they are suspects in one fire and an attempt to set another fire over the weekend. Sheriff Curt Folger reported Monday that he was summoned at 3:45 p.m. Saturday to the scene of a structure fire on Rube Brown Road near McKinney. Members of the fire department told Folger that someone was seen running from the fire. Lincoln County Fire Chief Danny Glass said by the time firefighters arrived, the house was on the ground.