Senators Urge State Action in Ending Coatesville Arsons

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2009

CONTACT: MARTIN INDARS                 
PHONE: 610-692-2112     
mindars@pasenate.com                                                                

HARRISBURG (January 26) – Following another arson fire which destroyed 15 homes in the city of Coatesville, Chester County, two state Senators are calling upon Gov. Ed Rendell to use all the Commonwealth’s resources to assist the city as it faces a state of emergency.

Senator John Rafferty and Senator Andrew Dinniman wrote to the governor today, expressing their grave concern over the situation in Coatesville and asking for his assistance.

This weekend, 15 homes were destroyed in the 300 block of Fleetwood Street before firefighters from throughout the county were able to contain the blaze. Damages are estimated at $1.8 million.

“Saturday’s fire and the previous arsons are taking an almost unimaginable toll on the lives of the city’s residents, and the city government and its residents are greatly in need of all the help they can get from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Rafferty said in the letter.

He noted that the additional state troopers have been assigned to the city, and the Pennsylvania Arson Task Force has been working with law enforcement and city officials to address the issue.

Senator Dinniman, who served the city of Coatesville as a former Chester County Commissioner, said the senators are grateful for the work that is being done to stop the arsons and identify the perpetrators. But they also wanted to underscore the great scale of this human tragedy and crime wave and to emphasize the full range of the city’s needs.

"Like all Chester County residents, I am deeply troubled by Saturday's fire and by the awful number of arson fires in the City of Coatesville over the past year. And I am shocked by the depth of human suffering the city is experiencing," Dinniman said. "A human tragedy is occurring in Chester County – one that will require the assistance of local, county and state government, non-profit organizations and the citizens of this county."

For more details, contact Martin Indars in Senator Dinniman’s office at 1-717-787-5709 or at mindars@pasenate.com.

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