Silver Lake Fire Chief John Conley hangs up yellow “do not cross” tape at 1008 N. Roosevelt St., Silver Lake, Thursday, March 7, following a house fire. InkFreeNews photo by Patrick Webb.

By Patrick Webb
InkFreeNews

SILVER LAKE — An abandoned house fire in Silver Lake is being investigated as an arson.

At approximately 6:20 a.m. Thursday, March 7, Silver Lake Fire Department was dispatched to 1008 N. Roosevelt St. for a fire. Silver Lake Fire Chief John Conley reported at the time that the house was unoccupied and no firefighters were injured at the scene.

“Unless something new is presented to me (the cause of the fire) will be listed as undetermined in my report,” said Conley.

According to Silver Lake Town Marshal Jason McGlennen, it had rained before the fire. He stated his office is investigating the fire as an arson.

Before the fire, a tree had fallen on the house’s main level.

“The tree fell on the house in 2018, I believe,” said Conley. “At that time we had a big storm go through and there was damage from the south side of the lake to the north side of the lake.”

Conley said that Silver Lake Fire, Claypool Fire Department and Sidney-Jackson Township Fire/Rescue Department walked through the neighborhoods to check for injuries. He wasn’t sure which department the firefighter who checked the house was from.

On March 13, at the Silver Lake Town Council meeting, the council passed and adopted Ordinance 03-01-24, Unsafe Building Amendment. The amendment authorized McGlennen to enforce the city’s ordinances in regard to unsafe structures.

According to a copy of the ordinance amendment provided by Silver Lake Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley, the ordinance was created because the office of Building Commissioner of Silver Lake no longer existed, “and it is necessary to designate a new Enforcement Authority.”

At the March 13 meeting, the council discussed that the house had multiple ordinance violations before the fire, which were still not paid.

According to the Kosciusko County Beacon mapping website, the property is listed as owned by Shane T. Wilson.