The hunt for those behind an early morning April 1 fire that sent three Greenwood firefighters and a policeman to the hospital continues.
All four men injured in the blaze are out of the hospital and recovering.
Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those behind the fire, which investigators say was caused by arson.
The fire, which started sometime before 3 a.m., engulfed much of the back half of a vacant building at the corner of Carrollton and Nichols avenues.
Three firemen — Sgt. Scott Schrader, Capt. Sean Jones and firefighter Paten McDaniel — were working to contain the blaze from outside the building along Nichols Avenue when a wooden garage attached to the back of the building collapsed.
The garage fell forward, trapping all three underneath the rubble. Other firefighters and two police officers on the scene rushed to free the three men. One of the policemen, Kristopher Hoskins, twisted his knee while helping to pull the firefighters from the debris.
Schrader was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he underwent surgery for a broken neck and a bruised spinal cord.
McDaniel, who dislocated his hip, underwent surgery at Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Jones, who suffered a broken hip, and Hoskins were treated and released.
Marcus Banks, the city’s fire chief, said all three firefighters are home and recovering now.
“We hope to have them back soon, but the healing process and physical therapy has to take place,” Banks said. “The prognosis is good for all three, and we look forward to having them back.”
Greenwood Fire Marshal Victor Stokes said the building showed tell-tale signs of arson. When investigators from the Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office combed the debris with a hydrocarbon detector, they discovered “three to four areas” where an accelerant had been used.
“We’re still investigating, still following a couple leads that we have,” Stokes said Wednesday.
Banks said the fact that an act of arson landed three of his men in the hospital — and could have ended even more tragically — was upsetting.
“I’m not going to stop on this end until all measures have been exhausted to bring this person or persons to justice,” Banks said. “The job is inherently dangerous as it is, but when you have people needlessly and senselessly setting fire, that’s troubling to me as fire chief.”
• Contact Bryn Stole at 581-7235 or bstole@gwcommonwealth.com.
