Arrests of Springfield teens in arson fires bring relief to Forest Park residents

Residents expressed gratitude by giving police and fire officials a round of applause at a City Council subcommittee meeting. Watch video

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayThe vacant house on Martin Street in Springfield's Forest Park neighborhood was the scene of a arson fire late Tuesday evening.

SPRINGFIELD — News of the arrests of eight teenagers in three fires Tuesday night brought relief to residents of the Forest Park section, including some who live on Kimberly Avenue who said they have not been able to sleep at night because of the series of 12 set fires in their neighborhood.

“We have lived here eight years and nothing like this has ever happened,” Maria Alicea, who lives with her husband, Pedro, and their four children at 11 Kimberly Ave., said on Wednesday.

In the past week, the window of the family’s van was smashed and a burning rag was found stuffed into the truck’s fuel tank opening, Alicea said.

Deikwon Duke, 17, 12 Crown St.; Devonte J. Wise, 17, 120 White St.; Shenard Holmes, 17, 28 Florence St.; Clarence Squaire, 17, 12 Crown St.; Dayne Bennett, 17, 25 Dawson St.; and Angel Navarro, 17, 36 Kimberly Ave., all pleaded not guilty and were held without right to bail pending a dangerousness hearing at their arraignment Wednesday in Springfield District Court. Also arrested were two juveniles, ages 15 and 16, whose names were not released because each was under age 17. Their cases will be handled in Juvenile Court.

Residents also expressed gratitude by giving police and fire officials a round of applause at a City Council subcommittee meeting at the Frederick Harris Elementary School on Wednesday night.

The meeting – attended by Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, Deputy Police Chief Thomas McFarlin, City Councilors Thomas Ashe, Kenneth Shea and Katerie Walsh and other public safety officials – was called last week to discuss the arson outbreak.

“I don’t think we’d be applauding now if we hadn’t made the arrests” Tuesday night, Shea said, noting that the neighborhood had been on edge for the past week.

Jane Hetzel, president of the Forest Park Civic Association, alerted neighborhood residents about the arrests Wednesday morning.

“Let’s hope the rash of fires ends,” Hetzel said.

At the meeting, Ashe said he was pleased with the prompt police response that yielded the arrests, but urged residents to remain alert.

“Vigilance and phone calls and reaching out,” Ashe said. “The phone calls, the emails (to authorities) are very important.”