March 12, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SH2010-14) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION R. Steve Huffman Public Information Officer (251) 208-2857/Fax: (251) 208-2861 E-Mail: huffman@cityofmobile.org TWO ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH ARSON Fire Investigators with the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention have arrested and charged two people with arson after an investigation revealed they were responsible for a fire at 5560 Thomas Drive on February 25, 2010. Richard Keith Ferrell, 46 and Janet Booth Champion, 53 were both arrested and charged with two counts of Arson 2nd degree for the February fire. The fire was reported at approximately 7:21 a.m. and caused an estimated $80 thousand in damage. No injuries were reported. Due to the slow economy the nation’s fire service is seeing more arson related fires in homes where home owners, struggling to make payments are opting to burn the structure in hopes of getting an insurance payment. The Bureau of Fire Prevention is taking these and all other deliberately set fires serious. Anyone that suspects arson can contact them at the Arson Hotline at 208-MFRD. ADDENDUM: The couple is believed to have set the original fire at approximately 2:03 a.m. on Wednesday, February 25, 2010 and set a second fire at approximately 7:21 a.m. the same morning. Both fires were in the same structure. Therefore they are being charged with two counts each of Arson 2nd Degree. ###