Springfield police, fire investigate vacant house fire as an arson

Springfield Police and Fire divisions are investigating an arson that was reported a vacant house on Gallagher Street.

Springfield Police and Fire divisions are investigating an arson that was reported a vacant house on Gallagher Street.

Springfield Police and Fire divisions are investigating an arson that was reported at a vacant house.

Officers were dispatched around 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday to the 500 block of Gallagher Street in reference to an arson investigation, according to a Springfield police report.

When police arrived, the fire captain was speaking with a witness while crews were securing the front door.

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“The captain advised a small fire was located in the front room of the house and extinguished quickly,” the report said.

The witness told crews he saw a former acquaintance enter the front door of the property before running away a few minutes later.

“(The witness) stated he then noticed the fire and knocked on the door of the reporting party to call for help while he took buckets of water in the house,” the report said.

The vacant house has boards on the windows and appears to have been vacant for a long time, and police were unable to contact the listed home owner, the report said.

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According to the report, the front room of the house was damaged and the fire is being investigated as an arson.

No other witness or suspect information was available.

Springfield Police and Fire divisions continue their investigation into this arson incident.

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