Do you remember the “Old Fire” back in 2003? The one that started near Old Waterman Canyon Road above San Bernardino and burned for nine days? It destroyed more than 91,000 acres, burned almost 1,000 homes and caused $170 million dollars on property losses, says the District Attorney’s Office of San Bernardino.
The suspected arsonist who has been accused of starting the fire, Rickie Lee Fowler, has apparently offered to settle his capital case with prosecutors, offering to withdraw his current “not guilty” plea. Deputy District Attorney Robert Bulloch, the prosecutor, has asked the court for time to discuss Fowler’s new offer with his office to determine whether or not it is acceptable.
Fowler was indicted by the Grand Jury in October of 2009, six years to the month from the fire, and faces five counts of murder plus special circumstances. These charges allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
Why five counts of murder? Prosecutors allege that the stress of evacuation and threats to homes and belongings caused five residents in the burn area to die of heart attacks, and because Fowler started the fire intentionally, he is responsible for their deaths.
With fire damage that extensive, the residents in that area must have been completely distraught, especially when they found out that the fire was caused by an arsonist. Restoration must seem completely impossible.
But it’s not. Even when the fire damage is extensive, we can help you get your home back in the quickest and most efficient manner possible. We are not just a restoration company, we are also a licensed, bonded and insured construction company that can take on any type of home construction, from roof repair, a single damaged room, or rebuilding from the ground up.
If your home has been damaged in a fire—whether it was a small kitchen fire or your whole home or business burned to the ground—please call us immediately. We can help you get the ball rolling quickly with your insurance company and provide the best fire damage restoration in the Inland Empire. We cover San Bernardino, Murietta, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Riverside, Chino Hills and everywhere in between.
Call us now: 877-732-8471