GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Police in Green Bay say two teens have been arrested in connection with an arson case that destroyed an apartment complex on N. Danz Avenue in the early morning hours of Monday.
Green Bay Metro Fire Chief David Litton says it was a great collaborative effort between the local and state agencies involved.
Litton says it started when investigators gained access to the basement area where the fire originated.
“When you’re investigating a fire like that, you start to eliminate potentials and so there was really no other potential at the point like no electrical fixtures there or equipment plugged in,” says Litton. “When you get to that point, you start looking at other possibilities and probabilities.”
Litton says around that time, their lead investigator knew a secret.
“The investigator knew there were security cameras down there and was able to obtain the footage from that,” says Litton. “It was taken to the police department to analyze it, and this all fell together.”
The 17 and 18-year-olds from Marinette were picked up Thursday for an unrelated matter and the officer noticed their clothes matched the suspects’ clothes in the fire video.
Litton says one of them admitted to setting the fires.
Police say they’re recommending a number of charges, including arson and recklessly endangering safety.
The video shows the teens going in and out of the basement room where the fire started, according to Litton. Investigators told FOX 11 they sprayed liquid wrench on rags, and put them in some cabinets.
“Arson is a serious crime,” says Litton. “There 69 or 70 people inside the building and it could’ve led to serious fatalities or injuries with folks…fortunately that didn’t happen.”
A preliminary damage estimate is nearly $700,000.
