CA-SFFD- Porta-John IC - 15 Johns burned since November 08'

SFFD Toilet Fires: Outhouse Arsonist Continues head attacks!

This is developing into a very serious string of arson fires, Involving a dangerous serial arsonist or group - Fires have occurred very near occupied structures. - last week a outhouse was destroyed, and a tall tree next to it was badly burned, with the flames only 3 feet away from a two-story home .

IA: 01-14-09 05:00hrs - A Portable Toilet Structure Fire - Porta-John
Location: 1200 block of Washington Street went up in the predawn hours; like the other previous toilet fires, 14 johns torched since November, in the Russian Hill area of San Francisco.
Injuries/Damages:No one has been hurt in the incidents, all of which have all happened at night. But the latest arson attack at 5 a.m. Thursday damaged a nearby parked car. Other attacks have torched nearby trees and scorched nearby structures. The Portable toilets value at between $500 to $1000 dollars each not including contents.
Typically the toilets are leased, for $100 or so per month, and the renter is responsible for damage.
Outhouse insurance is now being offered for an additional $5 a month, to protect its customers from being on the hook for the price of a new potty.
Notes: The unknown miscreant or miscreants immolating area outhouses have burned another 14 johns since November in or near the Russian Hill area of San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
Investigation: Police and firefighters have stepped up nightly potty patrols, although authorities concede they cannot be everywhere at once.
San Francisco Police Department press release concludes "No witnesses to this incident. No arrests."
The fires have occurred inside and outside of outhouses. In some cases, the arsonist has broken into locked toilets to burn them, police said.
Some private contractors have begun to camouflage outhouses on job sites.
Industry spokesperson: "This is something new in the industry," said Rebecca Henderson, portable toilet administrator for the company. "But we're taking these arsons to heart. You get attached to portable toilets. They're your business, and you don't want to see anything happen to them, or to your customers."
Sources:
SF Weekly.com - Link
SF Gate revealed this world's first top secret outhouse - Link