Suspicious Butler County house fire under investigation

Police and fire investigators were looking for more evidence this morning for the cause of a suspicious house fire Wednesday evening.

Middletown Fire Chief Paul Lolli said firefighters responded to a fire just before 8 p.m. Wednesday to a two-story house under renovation at 1807 North Ave.

Lolli said when Middletown and Monroe fire crews arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke coming out of the unoccupied structure. About 25 firefighters from both departments found fire in the living room on the first floor and knocked it down. He said firefighters also found more fire on the second floor and that it spread into the attic. Lolli said there were no injuries reported at the scene

“The fire is under investigation,” said Fire Capt. Brian Wright. “We have reasonable belief that the cause of the fire was incendiary in nature. We’ve found evidence that will be shipped to the state crime lab for analysis to check for any accelerants.”

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