Three fires have broken out in Martzolff House on South Green during the past week, the most recent of which occurred Saturday and caused $1,000 in damage to an elevator, according to the Ohio University Police Department.
An ignited piece of plastic caused the Saturday fire, which melted the buttons off the elevator's control panel, according to an OUPD report. The Athens Fire Department put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher.
In a separate incident, a fire in an elevator Tuesday was caused when the elevator's license was lit, according to OUPD. Burned matches were found in the elevator.
A third fire was reported in a trashcan on the building's ground floor.
OUPD is investigating the case and has not determined whether the fires are related.
If a suspect was charged for the crime, the likely charge would be aggravated arson, according to OUPD.
Aggravated arson creates a risk for serious physical harm to any person other than the arsonist, caus es harm to an occupied building or creates a substantial risk to a building, according to the Ohio Revised Code. Aggravated arson is a first or second-degree felony, dependent upon the amount of damage.
A first-degree felony would result in a fine of up to $20,000 or a three- to 10-year prison term. A second-degree felony would result in a fine of up to $15,000 or a two- to eight-year imprisonment, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
OUPD has issued a crime alert across campus and asks anyone with additional information to contact the department at (740) 593-1911.
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Jessie Balmert
