Insurance company offers reward in Erie fire investigation

April 30--ERIE, Pa. -- The ongoing investigation into a February furniture store fire in east Erie that investigators believe was intentionally set has gotten a financial boost from an insurance company.

Erie police announced Friday that the Nationwide Property Casualty Insurance Co. is offering up to a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for setting a fire that leveled Fred's Beds & Furniture, 117 E. 12th St., on Feb. 5.

The fire destroyed the two-story furniture store and its contents, and it forced the temporary closing of Dominick's Eatery next door. Two Erie firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze.

Police said Friday that those responsible for setting the fire endangered the lives of the patrons at Dominick's Eatery, which was open when the fire was first reported shortly before 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 5, and the lives of firefighters who responded to the fire. Restaurant owner Bill Rieger was asleep in the second-floor apartment of his building and escaped without injury after employees downstairs alerted him to the fire.

Dominick's Eatery reopened 13 days after the fire.

Fred Barbato, the owner of Fred's Beds & Furniture, opened a temporary office on West 12th Street after the fire and has since moved his business into the Liberty Center on Liberty Street. Barbato was not at the store Friday afternoon, and he could not be reached for comment.

Erie police continue to investigate the fire, along with Erie Bureau of Fire investigators and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The investigation is still active, and progress is being made, Erie police Lt. Dan Spizarny said Friday.

Erie police announced in late February that the fire was being investigated as an arson. Erie Chief Fire Inspector Guy Santone said at the time that investigators had an idea on the day of the fire that the cause wasn't accidental, and that physical and visual evidence unearthed in the probe supported their belief that the fire was incendiary.

Santone said Friday that investigators are still trying to gather as much information as they can, and he echoed Spizarny's statement that investigators are making progress.

The offer of reward money in the case was the insurance company's idea, to help in the investigation, Santone said.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to call Spizarny at 870-1258 or Erie police Detective Tom Gray at 870-1169.

TIM HAHN can be reached at 870-1731 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.

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