Columbia fire chief says recent fires are not suspicious

Photo of a fire at an apartment building at 209 Walnut Street, August 21, 2024.

Columbia Borough Fire Chief Scott Ryno said recent fires in the borough are not suspicious in nature. "It's an unfortunate chain of events," he said at Tuesday’s borough council meeting. He said the fires were due to unsafe practices rather than arson. Ryno added that although the fires were accidental, they were also preventable.

Ryno highlighted issues at fire scenes that contributed to fires, including hoarding and electrical problems. He noted unsafe practices such as connecting an air conditioner to a power strip, then to an extension cord, and finally to an outlet.

Ryno also noted a growing hoarding problem in some rental properties. "We're seeing deplorable living conditions," he said, in which there are “too many people” living in a particular property. He also cited "doubling up," where one family moves in with another, adding to the fire load situation.