Police suspect arson in rash of brush fires

Staff Writer

By jennifer dome

SAYREVILLE — Four brush fires that took place Friday and Saturday in the borough are suspected of being the result of arson, police reports said.

According to police reports, the first fire was reported Friday at 5:11 p.m. on Cheesequake and South Minnisink roads.

Police reportedly spoke with a supervisor at Green Tree Chemical Technologies, who said an employee reported seeing a flare being fired from the area of Bailey Park. The flare went into the woods on the southeast corner of Cheesequake and South Minnisink roads, police reports said.

A state forest fire technician, as well as borough fire officials, responded to the scene.

The second fire was reported at 8:41 p.m., Friday, and occurred in the woods between the Du Pont plant and Laurel Park on Cheesequake Road, police reports said. Once again, the state forest fire representatives reported to the scene, as well as the President Park Fire Co., which responded to extinguish the fire.

According to police reports, officials found what appeared to be a road flare, which was suspected of starting the fire. Police retained pieces of the flare as evidence, police reports said.

The third fire was found in the woods behind Sayreville War Memorial High School, Washington Road, at 9:30 p.m., Friday. According to police reports, the President Park Fire Company extinguished the fire. The state forest fire service was once again on the scene. No evidence was recovered from this location.

The fourth and final fire, reported over the weekend, occurred near the railroad tracks off Cheesequake Road, police reports said. The brush fire was reported at 10:26 p.m., Saturday by a resident on Vernon Street, according to police reports. The President Park Fire Company responded to the scene, and the cause of the fire was unknown, police reports said.

The Sayreville Police Detective Bureau and the state forest fire service are continuing the investigation of the four brush fires.