Concord

Woman in custody in string of suspicious fires at Concord public buildings

One of the fires was at a shed at Minute Man National Historical Park, another was at a Post Office building, Concord police and fire officials said

File photo

After four fires were apparently set at three public buildings in Concord, Massachusetts, including at one in Minute Man National Historical Park, on Sunday, a woman believed to have set them was taken into custody, officials said.

No one was hurt in the fires, which were reported within about one hour, according to Concord police and firefighters, who investigated the blazes Sunday along with state and federal officials.

They identified woman as the suspect and took her into custody in Arlington, then took her to a hospital to be evaluated, state fire officials said. She wasn't facing charges as of Sunday night; her name wasn't released.

The first fire was reported at the town's Beede Swim Center about noon, and crews found fires in the front and the back, officials said.

Half an hour later, a new fire was reported at the U.S. Post Office on Walden Street. Then, about 1 p.m., another fire was reported on National Park property — officials gave the address of the Farwell Jones House at Minute Man National Historical Park, which commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which began the Revolutionary War.

The National Park Service; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit were investigating along with the Concord police and fire departments, they said.

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