(U-WIRE) COLUMBUS, Ohio-The 190 block of West Norwich Avenue has been a hotbed of arson activity in the past couple of months, said Dave Thompson of the Columbus Division of Fire arson squad.

Thompson is a fire investigator for the 3rd Battalion, which includes the Ohio State University campus and the surrounding area.

About 10 fires were deliberately set in that area in the last two months, probably by the same person, Thompson said.

The residents of West Norwich Avenue are not the only victims of this activity.

The latest fire occurred Jan. 10. The fire department was called to 295 E. 17th Ave. at 1:57 a.m. after someone started the blaze in a stairwell with a petroleum product, said fire investigator Larry Pfeifer.

“It woke me up, there were trucks in my yard and the rescue squad was there,” said Melissa Breaden, a next-door neighbor.

“Everyone who lived in the apartment building was standing in the parking lot of BP,” Breaden said.

The arson squad is in the process of following leads and gathering information on the case, Pfeifer said.

Damages to all three floors are estimated at about $100,000, fire department reports read.

Campus-area arson fires typically involve trash Dumpsters and cars set on fire after football games, Pfeifer said.

Furniture fires set on porches and yards are another problem in the campus area, Thompson said.

Ten fires is high for an area like West Norwich Avenue, he said.

“It’s not an area where you have a lot of walk-traffic,” Thompson said.

All arsons are investigated by the arson squad and handed to the police once a suspect has been identified.