Salem Assistant Fire Chief Bill Fulton says a homeless person living in a storage unit at Red Roof Storage at West Lake and South Broadway in Salem appears to have started a fire that damaged several of the units.
Fulton says there was a grill and smoking materials that could have started the fire. No one was around when the fire began.
The blaze got into some of the insulation and allowed the fire to spread to an adjoining unit that was rented and had items inside. An empty unit on the other side also received significant damage. A few other units received minor damage.
Firemen laid a hose to the center part of the storage units and were quickly able to knock down the fire.
Fulton said the manager of Red Roof indicated they had problems with homeless people breaking off locks to get into the units.
The investigation for possible arson and criminal trespass to property was turned over to the Salem Police Department.
