Arson: It Can Happen in Edina

At first, arson seems to be the stuff of crime shows and detective novels. But Fire Inspector Jeff Garfin reminds residents that arson can be a real issue—even in Edina.

This week is arson awareness week, and Garfin wrote a Fire Department blog post noting that arson does exist in Edina, although the city doesn’t have the arson problem that larger cities do.

Arson isn’t just someone burning down a building to claim insurance money or cover up a crime. It can range from small fires in garbage cans to large structure fires. Arsonist can set fires out of curiosity or for excitement or revenge.

Although difficult to prove, arson was the fourth leading cause of fire in Minnesota in 2011—when there were 1,122 identified, purposefully set fires that destroyed an estimated $8 million worth of property.

Click here to see more of what Garfin had to say about arson.