Second Pioneer Village fire set

July 29--A Daviess County Sheriff's Department detective investigating a July 19 fire at Yellow Creek Park'sPioneer Village went to the park Monday morning and found a village building had been burglarized and a picnic table had been set ablaze sometime overnight.

Detective Scott Ingram said he found the picnic table on fire and the door kicked open at Pioneer Village'sRosenwald Schoolhouse. Ingram went to the site to continue investigating the July 19 fire, which caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to the Village's historic log barn.

The fire at the log barn is being investigated as suspicious and the picnic table fire was deliberately set, Ingram said.

"What we had this morning, it's definitely an arson," Ingram said.

Ingram said in the schoolhouse, someone had discharged the fire extinguisher and broken the glass in a display case. Detectives found the fire extinguisher

in the woods and recovered other items, such as a whiskey bottle, a water bottle and a bottle of hand cleaner.

The items have been sent to the Kentucky State Police lab in Frankfort for fingerprint analysis, Ingram. Other print evidence was recovered inside the schoolhouse, he said.

A second building showed signs of attempted forced entry, Ingram said.

The state fire marshal was also investigating at the Village on Monday. Signs that were put up around the park offering a $1,000 reward for information about the July 19 fire, were removed, Ingram said.

"We've gotten one tip, but it may not lead to anything," Ingram said.

Ross Leigh, director of county parks, said the damage to the schoolhouse was minor.

County officials are looking for ways to improve after-hours security at the park, Leigh said.

"I'm trying to look at it from a global perspective of what can be done," Leigh said. "Our attendants are there until 11 at night, and the kids know it. That's our biggest concern.

"I know (the incidents have) drawn a lot of attention in regards to the sheriff's department, and rightfully so," Leigh said.

Leigh said officials have not yet determined what steps they will take to repair the fire-damaged log barn.

"The first priority is to have a structural engineer to come in and look at it," he said. "Once that evaluation has been completed, we'll have a handle on what needs to be done ... My goal would be to be able to work on it and salvage what we can, and continue to have a barn there.

"One of the questions the (insurance) adjuster had was, 'Where are we going to find 200 year-old chestnut logs?' " Leigh said.

Anyone with information about the July 19 fire or the Monday fire or burglary and picnic table fire at the village is asked to call Ingram at the sheriff's department, 685-8444. Anonymous tips can also be left with Owensboro Crime Stoppers, at 687-8484.

James Mayse, 691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.

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