Molotov cocktails set fire to Vine Street apartment

LYNN – Shortly before 10 Wednesday night two Molotov cocktails were tossed at 42 Vine St., a building with six apartments. One exploded on the second-floor porch, the flames spreading as the tenants doused it with water from the kitchen sink.
A second homemade bomb blew up on the front lawn, starting a small blaze that firefighters extinguished upon arrival. By then, the second-floor occupants had the porch fire under control.
Witnesses saw two men running from the area seconds after the two bombs exploded. The third Molotov cocktail proved a dud. It was recovered by police and the Fire Department Arson Squad along with other evidence and sent to the State Police crime lab for analysis.
“All three floors in the building are occupied. There are six apartments and only two are vacant,” said Fire Lt. David Legere, head of the Arson Squad. “Somebody tossed three Molotov cocktails. Two of them actually started small fires and a third one, we found intact on the grass.”
Legere said the incident was reported at 9:50 p.m. Engines 1 and 3 along with Ladder 2 responded under the command of District Chief Lee Oliver.
“There are witnesses who saw two males running away from the scene just about the time the fire was reported,” he said, noting the arson attempt could be related to a spate of non-fatal shootings in the same neighborhood last weekend.
“We really can’t speculate what the motive might have been, but we’re working on this with the Lynn Police detectives. We also want people to know about the Arson Reward Program funded by the Massachusetts insurance industry. It pays up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.”
Legere said the insurance organization has given out quite a few such rewards in Lynn.
The Vine Street apartment building is owned by Moses Brown of Peabody.
Anyone with information about the crime is urged to contact the Arson Squad confidentially at 781-599-0232 or Lynn Police detectives at 781-595-2000.
In this case, the crime would be prosecuted by the federal government because a Molotov cocktail is classified as an infernal machine, its use punishable by 20 years imprisonment.
Last September, an arsonist threw Molotov cocktails at two parked cars near the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Webster Street, leaving behind a calling card ? a seven of clubs playing card with the words “Irish Settlers” written on the reverse side.
In January 2008, a Molotov cocktail exploded on the sidewalk in front of 10 Henry Ave. Witnesses described flames shooting 20 feet high in the darkness.