Arsonist burns three historic homes in Clayton County to the ground

Police in Morrow are searching for someone they say set a historic home on fire, causing it and two others to burn to the ground.

Firefighters were called to The District, a city-owned community space in Morrow, around midnight. They battled the blaze for several hours, but were unable to save the homes.

Investigators say a group of people were in the home around 8:45 p.m. Friday night and by midnight, the fire was visible. The fire started in that home, but quickly spread to two others.

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“This is a very sad day for our community,” Morrow Mayor John Lampl said. “The loss of these beautiful, historic homes at the heart of our city is a cruel blow to the residents and community members who utilize this area. We grieve with our community, and with the business owners who have poured their dreams into this venue; and we are committed to identifying and holding responsible anyone who was involved in the catastrophic damage caused by this fire.”

Interim Police Chief David Snively says detectives have identified several previous offenders, including a previous attempted arsonist.

Detectives and fire officials are still working to learn the exact events that led up to the fire.

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Police are asking that anyone who saw someone in or near The District around then to contact them at 770-961-4006.

A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered to anyone with information that leads to an arrest.

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The District is located between Southlake Mall and I-75 in Morrow.

No injuries were reported in the fire.