ATF offers $15K reward for six Temple arson fires

A reward of up to $15,000 is being offered for information leadings to arrests in a series of arson fires set at a Temple University construction site earlier this week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said Thursday.

Six small fires were set Monday and Tuesday at a construction site for tha new high-rise residence hall at 1601 North Broad Street, authorities said. The ATF said the fires caused $100,000 in damage. But no one was injured and construction continues on the site as scheduled, officials said Tuesday.

The ATF is offering $5,000 and the L.F. Driscoll Company, the construction contractor, is offering $10,000 for information about the fires.

"Acts of arson are dangerous crimes and threaten the community. ATF is committed to keeping the public safe from those who maliciously set fires." ATF Philadelphia Field Division acting Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson said in a statement. "We are asking the public to provide any information that would lead investigators to those responsible for these arsons."

The six fires occurred at the following times:

- Tuesday, approximately 2:30 p.m., 16th Floor

- Tuesday, approximately 10:30 a.m., 13th Floor

- Monday, approximately 11:00 a.m., 18th floor

- Monday, approximately 10:30 a.m., 20th floor

- Monday, approximately 8:30 a.m., 15th floor

Anyone having information should call the ATF 24/7 hotline 1-888-ATF-FIRE (1-888-283-3473) or email to ATFTips@atf.gov.

Temple spokesman Ray Betzner said Tuesday that there is no danger to staff or students, but the university put an alert out so people know why emergency personnel continue to get called to the scene. The new Morgan Hall construction site takes up the entire bock at Cecil B. Moore and North Broad streets.

The statement from Temple said: "We want to inform the Temple community of a series of fires that were set at the Morgan Hall construction site yesterday and today. The fires involved construction debris and were not serious.

Morgan Hall includes a 27-story tower, surrounded by a 10-story rectangular structure.