Fires expected to be on agenda at Smithfield meeting

The recent series of suspicious fires is expected to be a topic of conversation Tuesday night at the regularly scheduled Smithfield public safety meeting.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at South Smithfield Primary School at 201 W. Sanders St.

Authorities say multiple fire bugs may be at work in the county, where 35 suspicious fires have been reported over the past 12 months.

Smithfield and Clayton police and the Johnston County Sheriff's Office are working together to investigate the blazes.

Clayton has reported nine fires since October 2009, mostly in new houses or houses under construction. Since April, 20 fires have been set in barns and vacant houses in the southern part of Johnston County.

Clayton and Smithfield have been working with the State Bureau of Investigation. A $5,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for any or all of these fires.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Smithfield Police Department at 919-934-2121 or confidentially on the department's tip line at 919-989-8835.