Philadelphia: Fire Officer of the Year and Arsonist

Philadelphia arson attacks: Arson arrests so far include a rejected wannabe fireman, a volunteer firefighter and now a paid Fire officer who was lauded as Officer of the Year in 2004.

Police arrested 37-year-old Robert Tracey Jr., a captain in the Coatesville Fire Department.

Tracey, 37, was identified by witnesses who saw him running from the scene of Friday's fires, which were set a few blocks apart and didn't cause any injuries or significant damage, Carroll said. He was jailed in lieu of $2 million bail.

Tracey, a Coatesville firefighter lauded as Officer of the Year in 2004, and quoted in recent news accounts about the arsons plaguing the city, was charged yesterday with setting two new fires, Which brought the number of 2009 arsons in Coatesville to 22.

Tracey, of Charles Street in Coatesville, is accused of setting the fires Friday night in the city's West End - blocks from where he lives with his wife and five children.

Fire Captain Robert F. Tracey Jr., who was promoted to a paid Captain position in the West End Fire Company last month, was place under arrest at the fire station on his 37th birthday.

Tracey was the Seventh suspected arsonist arrested in this string of arson fires plaguing Coatesville, Philadelphia.

Mr. Tracey had been involved with the West End Fire Company for nearly 25 years and has held several positions within the Company. Most recently, Mr. Tracey held the position of Assistant Fire Chief, but resigned from that position in February of this year to become a career firefighter with the City of Coatesville Fire Department.

The former Assistant Fire Chief and once Captain of volunteers at Coatesville's West End Fire Company, Tracey was hired by Coatesville last month as a paid part-time firefighter.

"We put a lot of confidence in him moving up the ranks," City Council member Kareem Johnson said. "This is a very big disappointment."

Some of Tracey's neighbors shook their heads in disbelief at the news. Others said they had been suspicious of him for some time.

Neighbors said Tracey was the grandson of Edward Tracey, who received an award in October 2004 for 67 years of membership in the Coatesville Fire Bureau.

The fires Tracey is accused of lighting occurred a little before midnight in the 100 block of Hope Avenue and the 600 block of Madison Street. A lawn chair and a trash can were set ablaze., which caused no injuries or damage to homes.

At a news conference last night, Chester County District Attorney Joseph W. Carroll said Tracey was being held at Chester County Prison, with bail set at $2 million.

"I would love to say that this is the end," said Carroll, "but it is not."

Tracey is the seventh arson suspect taken into custody. One of the others is a volunteer firefighter, and a third wanted to be a firefighter but was rejected referring to arson suspects Roger L. Barlow and Mark Gilliam, who were arrested Feb. 19.

A firestorm of arson attacks:

The Friday blazes bring to 22 the number of arson's in the city this year. They came a week after a fire badly damaged two homes.

There have been at least 48 arson's in Coatesville since February 2008 and at least 18 others in nearby communities.

A teenager accused of setting nine of the fires led investigators to several of the scenes and confessed in a police interview, law enforcement officials testified this month.

Roger Leon Barlow Jr., 19, was held for trial after a preliminary hearing on arson and aggravated assault charges in connection with blazes that broke out in Coatesville between Jan. 2 and Feb. 3. The arsons included a massive fire that severely damaged 15 row houses. Damage in that fire alone is estimated at $1.2 million.

A trial date has not been set.

On cross-examination of several witnesses, defense attorney Terrence J. Marlowe pointed out that no one had seen his client set the fires and that no physical evidence pointing to him had been found.

Coatesville/West End Fire Company Official Release on Arrest

By Assistant Chief Robert Pacana - March 23, 2009

For Immediate Release -- On the evening of Monday, March 23, 2009, the officers of the West End Fire Company No. 3 were informed that one of its members, Robert Tracey Jr., had been arrested and charged with 2 counts of arson.

Mr. Tracey had been involved with the Company for nearly 25 years and has held several positions within the Company. Most recently, Mr. Tracey held the position of Assistant Fire Chief, but resigned from that position in February of this year to become a career firefighter with the City of Coatesville Fire Department.

No words are sufficient at conveying the anger, frustration and disappointment that the officers and members of the West End Fire Company feel regarding these allegations. Should Mr. Tracey be found guilty of these charges in a court of law, he will have betrayed not only the trust of Company, but also the sacred trust of the community that he served.

These allegations that a firefighter may have been involved in one or more of the recent arsons that have plagued the City of Coatesville should not overshadow the hard work and dedication of the countless men and woman who risk their lives on a regular basis to ensure the safety of the community.

The West End Fire Company is committed to work collaboratively with law enforcement regarding this ongoing investigation. Mr. Tracey has been suspended from the Company indefinitely pending the outcome of the case.

The leadership of the West End Fire Company will provide more information as it becomes available.

More sources:
http://www.coatesvillefire.org - Link
http://www.philly.com - Link
http://www.wgal.com - Link
http://www.google.com/ap - Link
http://www.philly.com - link
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