Officials suspect an arsonist has caused at least five fires that have destroyed properties in northern Jackson County since July 2017.

The most recent fire was reported Saturday night when a vacant house at 8305 N. County Road 300E burned down.

Hamilton Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Don Schnitker met with the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office earlier this week to discuss the cases.

“They’re connected somehow, but we don’t know if it’s one individual or a group of people responsible,” he said.

A reward of $5,000 is being offered through the Indiana chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigations for information that leads to an arrest.

There are several factors that have made the fires suspicious and led officials to determine they were set intentionally.

In all but one of the fires, there were no utilities turned on at the residences.

“No gas, no electric, no water,” Schnitker said.

All of the properties were vacant except for one home, but it was not occupied at the time of the fire, he said.

The first reported fire was a camper July 1, 2017, at 59 E. County Road 1050N, followed by a barn fire Oct. 5, 2017, at 512 E. County Road 1050N.

On May 5, a house at 10942 N. County Road 25E burned down, and then just three to four hours later, another house burned down at 10636 N. County Road 25E.

Schnitker said all of the fires happened after 11 p.m. and were in rural areas. He also said it’s not believed that any of the cases are the result of insurance fraud.

He is confident someone knows something about the fires that could help prevent another one from happening.

“It’s concerning for anyone that lives out in this area, especially if you have a vacant home on your property,” he said. “There’s some concern that it could escalate.”

Schnitker has been recommending anyone with vacant buildings install tree cameras to monitor their properties.

Any fire creates risk, but with arson, that risk is unnecessary, Schnitker said.

“Someone could be injured,” he said.

All of the fires have required assistance from other area fire departments.

“When two to four other departments are responding with their vehicles and manpower, there’s an unnecessary risk being taken to deal with this,” he said. “The community needs to know that there are risks and hazards associated with this.”

It also creates added expense for the departments in fuel and insurance costs.

The investigation is ongoing, and people need to be patient with the process, Schnitker said.

“People may not see progress on the case upfront, but people are working on it behind the scenes,” he said.

Anyone with information about any of the fires should call 800-382-4628 or 317-504-7148, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at 812-358-2141 or the Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234. Tips can be left anonymously.

“We hope the reward will encourage somebody that knows something to speak up,” Schnitker said.

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A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in an ongoing investigation into five suspicious fires in Hamilton Township believed to be the result of arson.

• Camper fire, July 1, 2017, 59 E. County Road 1050N
• Barn fire, Oct. 5, 2017, 512 E. County Road 1050N
• House fire, May 5, 2018, 10942 N. County Road 25E
• House fire, May 6, 2018, 10636 N. County Road 25E
• House fire, June 2, 2018, 8305 N. County Road 300E

Anyone with information can call the International Association of Arson Investigations at 800-382-4628 or the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office 317-504-7148. Tips can be left anonymously.

You also can call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department at 812-358-2141 or the Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234.

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