Westford

Person Seen Running From Scene of Suspicious Westford Brush Fires

Friday morning's fire was the fifth this week, and this time firefighters spotted a suspicious person in the area

Authorities in Westford, Massachusetts are investigating after flames broke out in the same area of conversation lands five times in the last week.

Police said Friday that they are looking for someone spotted running off from the site of the latest fire, which was set Friday off of River Street.

The first brush fire happened on March 31 in the woods between River Street, Farmer Way, and East Boston Camps on Depot Street. Crews were called back to the same area on Wednesday to extinguish two more fires. Then they were called a third time on Thursday to the same area to take out a fourth fire. Friday morning's fire was the fifth this week, and this time firefighters spotted a suspicious person in the area.

"One of the fire trucks was in the area and witnessed what appeared to be a teenage male dressed in all black carrying a backpack walking into the woods," Deputy Police Ron Paulauskas said.

Police and fire used K9s to search for the suspect while scouring the burned grounds, hunting for answers.

"When you have the weather that we’ve had in the morning when it’s kind of not conducive to fire, that’s when we look into it and say geez, something’s not right," said Joseph DelPapa Jr., fire investigator for the town of Westford.

Firefighters are asking anyone who was in the area on the evening of March 30, early morning of March 31, or on Wednesday, April 20 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. or Thursday, April 21 between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to contact the Westford Public Safety Communication Center if they remember seeing anything out of the ordinary in the area.

“If this is a person that is doing this we ask them to stop and we’d like to help you get through whatever you're going through and help you get down the right path, because it is a very dangerous situation and a lot of people could get hurt or killed, or even the person that’s doing it with the weather conditions that we have now it’s perfect for it to suddenly set up.”

Officials are also asking any homeowners with cameras to check their footage throughout the same time period for "anything or anyone that seems out of the ordinary," according to the statement.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone that has any information regarding these fires is urged to call 978-399-2345.

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