Island fire destroys portable toilet, arson investigated

A fire on Expedition Island resulted in a melted portable outhouse Saturday morning.

Arson is being investigated by the Green River Police Department. GRPD officers and the Green River Fire Department were called to the scene at 9:45 a.m. Saturday. Bystanders on Expedition Island noticed the outhouse on the south side of the parking lot was ablaze.

When officials arrived on the island, there were bystanders present who had thrown snow onto the outhouse to put the fire out. With the fire taken care of, the case was taken over by the police department to further investigate the incident because of intentional property damage.

"The fire appeared like it was intentionally set," Interim Fire Chief Mike Liberty said.

It appeared to be part of the toilet that caught fire. After the fire was tended to, it was apparent the outhouse was completely damaged. The front of the outhouse, a side panel and the bottom were all melted. There was smoke damage on the inside with bunt toilet paper in the bottom. A hole had been burned through the tank of the toilet, with water still in the tank.

"It was a total loss, no longer usable," GRPD public relations officer Luke Benson said.

Benson said officers spoke with the outhouse's manufacturer Western Relief Services and stated the loss is approximately $800 worth of damage.

Officers spoke with people in the area as well, with little luck in finding the perpetrator because Expedition Island is a high-traffic area. The outhouse located on the island is one of various outhouses placed along the Greenbelt for public use. The destroyed outhouse has been replaced.

Benson said officers do preventative patrols around town to help prevent crimes such as this and said it was an isolated incident.