LANCASTER -- Lancaster authorities asked for the public's help Monday in finding the person or people responsible for last week's fires at the county courthouse and solicitor's office.
Officials won't say if the fires are related, but they believe both blazes were intentionally set. They haven't identified any suspects in either fire.
A week ago, someone apparently broke into the 180-year-old courthouse through a front window, started the fire and fled through a back door before 5:30 a.m., officials said.
Then, around 4:15 a.m. Thursday, someone set fire to the solicitor's office, which is just across the street from the courthouse.
During a Monday afternoon news conference, Lancaster police Capt. Harlean Howard said investigators recovered evidence from the fire at the solicitor's office, but she refused to say how the fire was started or field questions from reporters.
Detectives know some local residents have information about these cases, Howard said, and she asked that those people come forward.
Arsonists likely won't talk about their crimes, she said. They will, however, follow media reports about the fires and discuss the cases with family and friends, offering reasons why they think the blazes were set.
Howard strongly emphasized an arsonist's danger to the community, including people he or she is close to.
"Under the right set of circumstances," she said, "it is possible he could strike out, unpredictably, against someone he knows."
With cases like these, she said, investigators know people might suspect a friend or family member's involvement, and giving police this information would be difficult.
"However," she said, "they may be the only person in a position to help before another fire is started and possibly some innocent person is harmed or even killed."
Anyone with information about these cases is asked to call South Carolina Arson Hotline at 1-800-92 ARSON; Crime Stoppers at 1-888-559-TIPS; the Lancaster City Police Department at (803) 283-1171 or the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office at (803) 283-3388.
Authorities are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the fires.
