St. Augustine fires: 'It hurts all of us'

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Investigators say all four fires at historic homes in St. Augustine are connected.  Three are confirmed arsons, and at least one suspect is on the run. 

Lisa Dallaire, owner of The Chocolate Turtle, didn't candy-coat her message to whoever set fire to at least three historic homes in St. Augustine. 

"You can run but you can't hide. We will find you," she said. 

Located just steps away from Scarlett O'Hara's in downtown St. Augustine, her dessert bar was scorched by the fire next door at 45 Cordova. She was forced to close Monday. 

"Our electrical unit on the outside melted," she said. "It had a big impact on us. Probably a couple of thousand dollars." 

The fires have also impacted neighbors. 

"It could've been my house and that's what's scary," said Park Place resident Dillon Besley. Neighbors are nervous the arsonist hasn't been caught. 

"When you target homes in these kind of areas, you can do more damage than just burning down a home. You can cause a financial burden on families," said Tony Smith, owner of Tony's Barber Shop in Lincolnville. 

Investigators said they've been reviewing surveillance video from surrounding homes and businesses. So far, all they have to go on is black-and-white video showing a person of interest. 

"It's not a suspect," said Fire Marshal Capt. Bob Growick. "It's a person of interest who might have information for us that can help us to make a decision as to which direction to go, or even find out who actually started this fire." 

Dallaire knows finding the fire starter won't be easy, but she has faith. And she hopes that whoever is to blame understands the damage they've caused.  

"We're a small community and when something like this happens, it hurts all of us," she said.

Several state and local agencies are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-277-8477 . You can also call the Arson Tip Hotline at at 877-662-7766 . You may be eligible for a reward.

WJAX