Arrest Made In Midlothian Fires

MIDLOTHIAN, IL -- A 53-year-old man from Midlothian faces multiple arson charges after police say he was the one who allegedly set the four fires that occurred within hours of each other in the village late Thursday night and early Friday morning.

Lawrence Watkins was charged on Friday with one count of felony residential arson, one count of felony aggravated arson and two counts of felony arson, according to Midlothian police.

Interim Police Chief Daniel Delaney also released the details of the alleged arsons via their Facebook page on Friday. They said both police and fire units were first dispatched to the 3200 block of West 147th Street at 9:14 p.m. on a report of a dumpster fire, where they found a dumpster fully engulfed in flames.

Just ten minutes later, they responded to the 14600 block of Sawyer Avenue on a report of a fire at an attached garage.

At 11:11 p.m. they responded to the 14600 block of Spaulding Avenue, just one block away, for a report of a porch on fire.

The final call was to a large trash receptacle reported to be on fire at 146th and Kedzie.

No one was injured in any of the incidents.

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