Booby Traps Set for FF's in Toledo, OH

[RFRDxplorer]

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=local&id=4196729

Firefighters discover "booby trapped" house

May 23, 2006 - Fire crews were ordered out of a vacant house while battling a fire, after what they discovered inside.

Fire officials say a fire early Tuesday morning at North Erie and Galena was intentionally set. Crews were called to the scene around 1:00 a.m., and initially started putting out flames in the back of the home.
Firefighters then went in the front, and made a dangerous discovery. The battalion chief says holes were cut in the floor, and cans of fuel had been set out. He says the intention was for the cans to explode, and injure firefighters.

Fire officials had firefighters leave the house. It was vacant, and they said they didn't want to risk any lives fighting a fire in that type of structure. Because of the damage, the house torn down, leaving a pile of rubble for the city to take care of.


YIKES!!! :eek:

[RFRDxplorer]

Firefighters Find Traps in Burning House

May 23, 2006 02:00 PM EDT


NORTH TOLEDO -- Toledo firefighters spent their night putting out a stubborn blaze in north Toledo. But when they got inside the building, they got more than they bargained for.

The fire happened around 1:00am at 1986 Chase Street, near Galena. Crews arrived to find the back of the vacant house fully engulfed in flames. The battalion chief tells us it is a clear case of arson.

But when firefighters got inside, they found the house had been booby-trapped. "When they got inside, they found holes in the floor, cut for them to drop through," said Battalion Chief Jerry Abair of the Toledo Fire Department, "And also some cans of fuel set to ignite and booby-trap our guys."

Chief Abair says the holes in the floor were covered with rugs, and couldn't be easily seen. He said firefighters often enter burning vacant buildings on their hands and knees for that very reason.

Firefighters waited until the fire burned through the roof, so they could pour water on the flames from above. No one was hurt. County real estate records show the building is owned by Dennis Szabo.

While Toledo Fire Department Captain William Hickey says the term "booby-trapped" is too strong of a word to describe what happened in this fire, but it's certainly highly suspicious and very dangerous. "Anytime we as firefighters go into a vacant structure in the middle of the night - like that and find holes in the floor - it's a perilous situation and it is very suspicious," said Hickey.

By mid-morning, the building was torn down by city crews. Neighbors say they're glad. "Whoever's doing these fires, they really need to get a hold of it. They really do before someone gets hurt," said Janet Della Flora of north Toledo.

[MaddogDFD5]

ohhhh yeah, we have had drug houses with holes cut through the floor for the police raid team....... got to love the "D".....

[cozmosis]

While Toledo Fire Department Captain William Hickey says the term "booby-trapped" is too strong of a word to describe what happened in this fire, but it's certainly highly suspicious and very dangerous.

It's possible that the house was booby-trapped. However, I've faught fires in occupied homes with holes in the floor covered by rugs. This fact alone doesn't automatically mean the house was booby-trapped. Of course, the whole situation sounds shady to me...

[Weruj1]

The incident was interesting to read today when I got to work .............and now I know the rest of the story .............lucky no one was injured.