Arsons are lighting up North Omaha with charred homes and cars left in their wake. Firebugs appear to be lurking on the streets and nobody knows when they might strike next.
In the past few months there have been dozens of fires in North Omaha causing alarms for some residents.
“Accidently burned on purposed,” described one man who lives near 18th and Ogden Streets. “Most of the homes they are vandalizing are homes that are sitting empty for a long time” he said.
Last Thursday a fire lit up a vacant houst at 22nd and Grant Streets, today the remains are still there. On that same day, a house fire erupted at 27th and Emmett Streets.
It’s a problem city leaders have been trying to address for a long time.
“I have to drive home to that mess everyday and I watch these slumlords play games with us,” said Omaha city councilman Ben Gray.
Earlier this year the city council passed a vacant and abandoned property ordinance that holds property owners accountable if the city received complaints about a home being in disrepair by charging a $500 registration fee every 3 months it’s not taken care of.
The goal is to stop easy targets like these houses from going up in flames again and again.
