The Council Bluffs Police Dept. says a fire early this (Friday) morning is suspicious in nature, and possibly a hate crime. Sgt. Chad Meyers reports at around 3:35-a.m., an Officer with the Council Bluffs Police Department was on patrol, when he smelled smoke in the area. The Officer was able to trace the smoke back to a house located at 2929 Avenue G. The windows of the house were blackened and smoke could be seen rising from the roof.

The Officer requested the Fire Department be dispatched, as he began trying to alert anyone who may have been inside the house. The Fire Department arrived and was able to extinguish the fire and determine that nobody was home. While on scene, Officers noticed that swastikas and racial slurs had been spray painted on the north and west sides of a detached garage at this address. During a neighborhood canvass, it was learned that the graffiti on the garage has been there for two or three days. The fire itself was isolated to the house and not the detached garage.

The homeowner is a white female, who has a bi-racial daughter and bi-racial adult grandson who live with her at the home. All three of them were out of town last night. The fire is suspicious in nature and will be investigated as an arson by the Council Bluffs Fire Department, in cooperation with the State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Council Bluffs Police Department. The graffiti on the garage will be investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department as a possible hate crime.

Meyers says at this time, authorities don’t  know if the two incidents are related. Anyone with information on either incident is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 328-STOP. You can remain anonymous and any tip leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect is eligible for a cash reward.