PECO has put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a late October fire at the utility’s Holmesburg substation. This money, combined with $10,000 previously offered by the Philadelphia Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, brings the total reward to $20,000.
The incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, along the 4600 block of Rhawn St. Someone threw a flammable liquid onto equipment and then ignited it. The fire set off alarms that brought PECO workers, who put it out. There was no loss of service. About a week before, somebody had left a gas can with some sort of device attached to it on the property.
The ATF, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department and PECO corporate security are investigating.
Anyone with information should call the ATF 24/7 hot line at 1–888-ATF-FIRE (1–888–283–3473) or e-mail ATFTips@atf.gov
“This is an extremely serious situation. Tampering with electrical infrastructure can be fatal to the person damaging our equipment. It also can cause serious injuries to the public, our employees, firefighters and police personnel, and can cause severe damage to the community and personal property as well,” said PECO president and CEO Denis P. O’Brien. ••
