MILLSBORO, Del.- Authorities say fires that damaged two houses on Oak Orchard Road near Millsboro were set intentionally.
The Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal said both fires occurred to separate unoccupied homes located next to each other in the 32000 block of Oak Orchard Road. The first fire, reported shortly after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 12, at the first house, with the second fire occurring early Thursday, May 13, at the house next door.
The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company arrived on the scene and was able to quickly extinguish both fires. Mutual aid fire companies assisted at the scene.
IRVFC says intentional fires like this are far from common.
Darrel Adair and his wife Carol only live a quarter mile away. They say hearing the fire engines so often is shocking.
Darrel said, "When we picked this area to come to, it was because we had checked it out, and it's so calm and so peaceful, and that's what we were looking for. We're from outside of Philadelphia, this is very common up there. Down here, it was unheard of, so to hear it down the street is very shocking."
State fire investigators were called to the scene and performed an investigation to determine the fire’s origin and cause. Both fires were determined to be intentionally started and were accompanied by other criminal mischief type activity at the location.
The structures were not occupied at the time of the fires. Total fire damage from these incidents is estimated at $200.
Previous fires that were investigated and determined to be intentionally started occurred at one of the unoccupied structures at this location on March 17, 2021 and April 10, 2021 with structural damage from those incidents estimated at $50,000.
The Adairs say they're just glad no one was home.
"The saddest thing would be, if one of those guys, the volunteers got hurt on something stupid like this, when what they're there for is to help protect the community. That's the most horrible part," Darrel said.
Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office – Sussex Division at 302-856-5600 or Delaware Crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating Wednesday's intentionally set fire at this home on Oak Orchard Road in Millsboro. (Photo: Indian River VFC)
(Photo: Indian River VFC)
