Still No Arrests in Berlin Arsons

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=6963473

"This vacant house on 3rd Street is the most recent building in Berlin to be consumed by flames. And, there is a similar scene in almost every neighborhood in the north country community. 12 fires have hit Berlin in the last year. For some, that's good reason to move.

"I ended up finding this business over here and fortunately there was an apartment so I was like I'm getting out of the east side and getting away from the fires," said Spring Onofrio.

Onofrio still works on the outskirts of the city and says that the fires are not helping to rebuild what she says is already a down economy.

"I mean with the paper mill going down, a lot of people already moved before the fires even started," Onofrio said.

Eye sores, like this one of main street, are also NOT helping. But, city officials say the process to clean them up is arduous.

"The city does not have the right to just go in a clean up a property, nor does it have the funds to do what is a very expensive proposition," said city manager Patrick MacQueen.

So far investigators have said several fires were deliberately set -- and they are not all connected.

The Berlin Police Department is assisting the investigation into the string of recent fires however, officers are offering no information as to where that investigation is at. And for some members of this community, that is not good enough, they want answers

"I hate to say it, but it would have to be the police department," said Berlin native Charles Carpenter. He realizes that the city resources are low. But, he feels that the police need to be doing more.

"I know you can only do so much with the low income of the city, but you got to do your job," Carpenter said.

The job of catching whoever is leaving a mark in more ways than one."

America self-destructs.