CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Two 20-year-olds are facing arson charges after a wild night downtown including a fire set in a high-rise construction project.
Duncan Ray and Ryan Barnes were arraigned in Hamilton County Municipal Court on aggravated arson charges.
“We have multiple fires this morning, “said Cincinnati Fire Investigator Jim Hutchings during the hearing. “Multiple fires risking serious physical harm to victims. The investigation is continuing but there are multiple fires.” The two are being held on a $250,000 bond.
The fires include trash can fires, mattress fires a porta-potty fire and a significant fire on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the 8th and Sycamore Apartments construction project. Three separate fires in that building set off sprinklers just after midnight Wednesday morning.
“That led to a significant amount of water damage going all the way from there to the ground floor, the lobby, “ said Al. Neyer marketing director Katy Crossen on the sidewalk outside the 17 story project. “These floors were primarily finished. Everything from luxurious quartz countertops to bathrooms, hardwood floors. Yep, everything was pretty much finished.”
Crossen says two men are suspected of breaking into the project through an adjacent parking garage and starting the fires. Ray and Barnes are suspects in the 8th and Sycamore fires but are only charged with a fire set in the alley behind 23 Court Street.
Surveillance cameras from the Cincinnati Public Library cover that alley and captured images of two men at the fire scene a few minutes before the fire was called in. Investigators arrested Ray and Barnes after reviewing surveillance video.
While working the mattress fire, crews were called to the 8th and Sycamore fire. While they were there, a porta-potty caught fire a half block away. An hour later they responded to another outdoor fire on 9th street, one block away from the mattress fire.
The 8th and Sycamore project is scheduled for completion in November. Leasing was to begin next month.
“This is going to impact our timeline,” said Crossen. “We’re going to have to evaluate when we complete this project.”
