Westfield Insurance Gives $20K in Arson-Fighting Gear to Ohio City

An Ohio-based insurance company is donating more than $20,000 worth of arson investigation gear to Toledo, which has seen a rash of vacant house fires.

Westfield Insurance says the gift presented to the city on Tuesday includes still and video cameras, laptop computers, three sets of evidence markers and two “sniffer” devices that monitor for flammable gas vapors.

Mayor Mike Bell says in a statement the equipment will help investigators determine fire causes, pursue criminal cases and share findings with insurance companies working to process claims.

During the summer Toledo was hit by a string of arsons that destroyed scores of empty homes.