Fire marshal: blaze was arson

Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Victorian Day Spa as seen last winter.

State fire investigators at Greencastle's Victorian Day Spa where a Tuesday fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage say the blaze was no accident.

"I don't have a lot of information right now, but the State Fire Marshal was down today and he said they have determined the fire was arson," Police Chief Tom Sutherlin told the Banner Graphic Wednesday night.

He also said the fire marshal had taken some items into evidence and would be examining them back at the lab. He did not know how long the examination would take.

Firefighters from Greencastle and Cloverdale Township responded to the business located on South Jackson Street at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday after someone reported seeing flames coming from the structure.

Fire Chief Bill Newgent said the fire started on the backside of the building. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to the rest of the building.

In Tuesday's story, the Banner Graphic reported that the property was up for sheriff's sale, based on information given to us by officials at the scene. However, the newspaper was contacted Wednesday and told the property is no longer up for sheriff's sale.

Meanwhile the search for suspects in the fire is on. Greencastle Police Detective Randy Seipel is conducting the investigation.

"We don't have any leads, anything to go on right now," Sutherlin said.

He encouraged anyone with information to contact the Greencastle Police Department at 653-2925. There is a $5,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in this case.

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  • Go at it people in glass houses.

    -- Posted by paying attention on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 5:00 AM
  • Determining arson is the easy part. Determining WHO did it is the hard part.

    -- Posted by Xgamer on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 5:27 AM
  • So did the paper report that the property was up for sheriff sale without fact??? I know at one time it was and never heard any different. So was it on Tuesday and as of Wednesday it wasn't?

    -- Posted by chicagogirl on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 8:02 AM
  • Good luck Randy. It is easy to detect arson, but so hard to pin it on someone....

    -- Posted by infiremanemt on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 11:51 AM
  • wow! this isn't blues clues people, who stands to benefit from this?

    was scheduled for sheriff's sale now it's not.

    secondly does anyone have a prob with the owner?

    randy get out your handy-dandy notebook and i'll bet it won't take long in the thinkin' chair!

    -- Posted by gottokno on Thu, Sep 4, 2008, at 3:19 PM
  • AWW IM SO DISSAPPOINTED AND I WAS GIVING THE CITIZENS OF GREENCASTLE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. TALK ABOUT BURSTING MY BUBBLE!!! WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THIS WORLD PEOPLE????????????????

    -- Posted by skittlebug on Fri, Sep 5, 2008, at 6:50 AM
  • The owner fo the day spa would not do this. Like I stated in the other article, she is a good, honest woman.

    I know that GPD will do an excellent investigation and the truth will come out.

    -- Posted by QueenBee on Fri, Sep 5, 2008, at 8:29 PM
  • For those who didn't bother to seek the facts, I would like to enlighten you. The information stating the Day Spa was set for Sherrif sale was INCORRECT. Call the Sherrif's department and ask, you will the correct information. There has not been a date set. So the theory that there is gain to be had by burning a business that puts the owner out of a job makes no sense. Please stop the trashy gossip.

    -- Posted by tepple on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 2:16 PM
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