Arson investigation stalled, but case to remain active

There are still no new leads in the arson that gutted a house at 210 S. 41st St. in Jan., but the investigation of the fire will remain active for six months, Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker said.

Police officials are currently reviewing interviews with residents to look for "any evidence that can point us forward to new witnesses or potential witnesses," Walker said.

Thus far, no evidence has pointed to a specific perpetrator or motive for the fire.

Walker added that, though police officials hope to solve the case, an arrest is unlikely to result from the investigation.

"We're always hoping new evidence comes forward," he said, but "you never know. It's always slim in these cases."

When a fire that gutted a house at 4042 Sansom St. last March was declared an arson, police marked the case inactive after less than a month of investigation due to a lack of witnesses and evidence.

But Walker said that, despite this case's similarly slow progress, the investigation will remain active for at least six months, the standard length of time for any investigation.

He did not know why the fire last spring was marked inactive before the six-month period ended.

The house on 41st Street burned down in the early morning hours of Jan. 27.

No one was injured as a result of the blaze, but residents of both the 210 building and the neighboring 212 building were forced to evacuate.

According to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics, arrests are made in just 16 percent of arson cases, and only 2 percent of those cases end in convictions.

Between 30 and 50 percent of arson cases in the Southwest Detectives' patrol area, which covers much of West Philadelphia, result in arrests, Walker said.

Arson cases are considered difficult to solve because police officials often have trouble finding witnesses and determining a motive.

All of the residents of the 210 building except one are now living in an apartment in the Hub, located at 40th and Chestnut streets.

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