Elwood Police have made arrests in connection to a suspicious factory fire.
According to Elwood Police Chief Sam Hanna, four juveniles were arrested early Saturday morning. Among the arrested, Elwood Mayor Ron Arnold's son.
The teens, aged 17, 14, and two 13-year-olds, were questioned and later charged with arson in connection to the fire.
They were transported to the Madison County Juvenile Center.
The fire began around 6:15 p.m. Friday, when neighbors saw smoke coming from the building and called 911.
Dispatchers called in crews from around Madison County to help extinguish the fire that burned through 9 p.m. Friday.
“[It was] fully engulfed,” said Elwood Police Chief Sam Hanna. “I mean just flames. We have not gotten in to even look at it yet because the building's been too hot.”
“You heard the boom and stuff and I got kind of scared. I didn't know if it was going to blow up the whole house or not,” said Spencer Sallee, who lives across the street from the factory. “I walked outside and started choking because the air was so messed up.”
According to the Elwood Police, tips began coming in shortly after the fire was under control. Callers told police four juveniles were seen leaving the facility shortly after the fire broke out.
Statements taken by Chief Hanna and Assistant Chief Bertram lead police to believe the juveniles entered the factory site through an open gate and door to the building.
Neighbors living close to the factory also told police juveniles had been seen entering and leaving the factory site for the past week.
Spencer Sallee didn’t see anything on Friday but has seen people in the vacant factory before.
“There's always people over there. It needs to be locked up,” said Sallee. “Somebody really could have gotten hurt.”
The juveniles will remain at the Juvenile Center until a court appearance early Monday.
Mayor Ron Arnold issued the following statement about the arrests:
"I want to commend Chief Hanna and his department for their swift action in this matter. As difficult as this situation is as mayor, it is made more difficult by the fact that my son is one of the juveniles involved. This revelation has been devastating to me and my family. We covet your prayers as we walk through this difficult time for our city and my family."
About the factory
The factory used to be occupied by the State Plating Company, but they closed the facility in 2008.
The company would plate bare metal products.
For a time, Madison County HazMat crews were brought in to monitor air quality.
According to Todd Harmeson, Public Information Officer with the Madison County Emergency Management Agency, tests conducted by HazMat crews did not indicate any chemicals were released into the air by the fire.
Harmeson also told Fox59 both local and state fire investigators were called to the scene to investigate the fire once it was marked under control around 9 p.m.
The State Fire Marshal's office offered a cash reward for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this fire.
