Fire Marshal’s Office says arsonist on loose

   A lengthy investigation by the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Office into the three structure fires that occurred in the 1200 Block of Lane Street in Falls City between July 25 and 29 have all been determined to be arson, Fire Marshal’s Deputy Raymond W. Nance said.
    Details of the fires are not being released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
    A 911 call was made at 9:22 p.m. Saturday, July 25, to report a burning garage at 1203 Lane St. Twelve firemen responded and were on the scene into the early hours of the following Sunday. Then later that evening, again at approximately 9 or 9:30 p.m., another house on the block, this one on the opposite corner at 1223 Lane St., was ablaze, prompting 14 firefighters to respond. Yet again, the following Wednesday, crews rushed back to 1223 Lane, where the home is being remodeled, and spent two hours on the scene. No one was injured during the trio of blazes.
    Both homes are owned by 36-year-old Joshua M. Darden. Authorities called the fires “suspicious,” at the time but continue to refuse comment or clear potential suspects.
    The home at 1223 Lane St. was assessed in 2014 at $16,535.
    Darden is a Los Angeles native and accomplished typeface designer who once taught at New York City’s Parsons School of Design. He established the Brooklyn-based Darden Studio in 2004, but appears to have moved out of NYC in or sometime around 2010.
    Citizens with information regarding the fires are encouraged to contact the Falls City Police Department at 402-245-4422 or the Nebraska State Fire Marshal Arson Hotline at 888-WY-ARSON.