NORTHAMPTON — The city is hosting a community meeting Monday to discuss the recent string of suspicious fires in the area of North and King streets.
Ward 3 City Councilor Ryan O’Donnell, Police Chief Jody Kasper and Fire Rescue Chief Duane Nichols invite the public to join them at 6 p.m. Monday on the second floor of City Hall for an informational community meeting, O’Donnell wrote Wednesday afternoon.
Northampton Fire Rescue and the Northampton Police Department responded to five reports of suspicious fires in the area of King and North streets between March 12 and 21.
On March 12, a Bates Street resident reported that three or four “clumps of dried ornamental grass had been burned and were still smoldering.” Two other fires involved burned ornamental grass.
In another incident, a person living in a tent along the railroad tracks near King Street said his tent and possessions had been burned. A fire in a barrel was also reported at 137 King St. along the side of the building.
There have been no fires in the North Street area since March 21, Nichols confirmed in an email Wednesday.
As a precaution, public safety officials are encouraging residents to move dry leaves and brush away from their homes.
“People are feeling kind of uneasy about this, as you can understand,” O’Donnell said Tuesday, noting that the fires bring back memories of a deadly arson spree during 2009 in the neighborhood.
“I hope we can be vigilant and observant and aware of our surroundings,” O’Donnell said, noting he has confidence in the city’s public safety officials and in his neighborhood’s resilience.
Stephanie McFeeters can be reached at smcfeeters@gazettenet.com.