Butte’s Yearlong String of Arson Fires Still a Mystery

It’s been almost a year since the first fire broke out in a vacant hotel. Since then arsonists have struck 18 more times, setting fire to homes, police cars, businesses, the county courthouse, the probation office, the Chamber of Commerce and a Mormon church.

Residents are frightened and suspicious. Sales of security systems have increased, and a 12-year veteran sheriff who was voted out of office said the fires cost him his job.

Officials estimate that the 19 unsolved arsons have caused $1.64 million in damage. They say they are no closer today to knowing who is responsible than they were last Jan. 19 when it all started.

Kelly Hemmert, president of the Butte-area stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he could not understand the motive for the Nov. 2 fire that destroyed a wing of his church, other than to think it was “just mean and malicious vandalism.”

“It makes me mad,” said Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Jack Lynch. “Given the numbers and the wanton nature, it arouses a community.”

The Chamber of Commerce, with contributions from its members and others, has established an $8,100 fund for tips. But no one has offered information, according to John Walsh, chief of detectives for Silver Bow County.

“I know there are people out there who have information, but they aren’t coming forward,” he said. “We just can’t seem to entice them with public or private money.”

“It is frustrating and it’s also real hard to attract new businesses to town,” said Judy Martz, president of the Chamber of Commerce. “Old businesses are left wondering if they will be next.”

The fires have stymied local investigators, the state fire marshal’s office, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI.

“It’s a very difficult crime to solve” because fire almost always destroys the evidence, said Tom Minnich, an arson specialist with the U.S. Fire Administration in Emmitsburg, Md.

The fires have taken a personal toll on public officials. Sheriff Bob Butorovich said the fires cost him his job.

“I think the fires were certainly a contributing factor,” Butorovich said after he lost his reelection bid in November.

Sheriff-elect John McPherson said stopping the arson will be a high priority. He plans to form a task force of investigating agencies--something he said should have been done months ago.

“The inability of the department to cope with the fires gave (arsonists) an open season,” McPherson said.

The fires have kept one local business busy.

John Selon, co-owner of AWP Security, said sales of security systems are up 25% since the Feb. 17 courthouse fire.

Only one of the arson sites--the Coca-Cola and Seven-Up Bottling Co.--had an alarm system, and it was not on the night the fire struck there, Lynch said.

“Perhaps in Montana we’ve been relaxed for too long,” he said.