Fires—One Arson,
One ‘Suspicious’

State police fire investigator Det. Sgt. Mike O’Neill has ruled as arson the December 21 fire that destroyed a large building on the former Ethan Allen plant property between Weston and School Streets in Randolph.

O’Neill, noting that there had been lots of trespassing "traffic" on the property, said there were presently no leads on any suspects.

The vacant building was destined to be razed in the future to make way for a housing development.

O’Neill said he was unable to determine the cause of another area fire—the December 19 fire that damaged a vacant home in West Braintree.

"It does look suspicious," the investigator said.

The West Braintree scene yielded little by way of evidence, he noted, due to firefighters’ extensive "overhaul" efforts, which were necessary to extinguish the blaze.

Det. Sgt. O’Neill urged anyone with information about either of these fires to contact him at the VSP Royalton barracks, 234-9933.