Wave of Arsons Strikes Illinois Town

Authorities say the town of Homer, Illinois has been hit by a sudden wave of arson fires and attempted break-ins.

Champaign County Sheriff’s Department investigators and an arson expert from the Illinois Fire Marshal’s office were in Homer most of Tuesday collecting evidence from at least six different residences where fires or attempted burglaries occurred between about 2 and 8 a.m. Most of the incidents occurred in a two-block area.

Sheriff’s police still didn’t know by late exactly how many victims there were or the extent of the damage. No one had been arrested.

Homer Fire Chief Don Happ said the whole town was in an uproar. He said his department got help from departments in St. Joseph, Ogden, and Sidney.