BUFFALO, N.Y. — No arrests have been made thus far in an arson on Buffalo's East Side at a home that was supposed to benefit at-risk youth in getting them off the streets. That fire happened Tuesday evening and since then investigators have been trying to figure out who is responsible.
The home at 79 Kilhoffer Street was supposed to be a safe place. A place people could go to seek help away from dangers on the street.
"It was going to give job opportunities, housing opportunities it was going to maintain the neighborhood," said Murray Holman, the executive director of the Stop the Violence Coalition.
But Tuesday night, all that changed in an instant when someone, or a group of people, intentionally set the house on fire. The flames were so intense, a neighboring home was damaged.
A spokesperson for Buffalo Fire says an incendiary device was used, bringing this vacant home to the ground.
The Stop the Violence Coalition says it has no idea who would want to do this.
"I don't know but what our God says is we have to work that person, persons and get them some healing that they need," Holman said.
The home was being remodeled by multiple organizations from Stop the Violence to Buffalo Peacemakers to Habitat for Humanity and was a project within the Bailey Green Initiative. It had been under construction for more than two years and was expected to be done this summer.
"We had a meeting last night to discuss the Bailey Green project initiative and then we get a call that the house is on fire," Holman said.
The home was secure with locks on the doors, but there were no security cameras.
Both Stop the Violence and Buffalo Peacemakers say they have plans to rebuild in this same location.
"But we're not going to let this stop us God is good," Holman said, "We know we're going to rebuild with the help of the community and that's the direction we're going to with this place here."
The fire remains under investigation.