Possible Arson: Housing Cart Catches Fire

Connect2Mason learned of the fire through this TweetPhoto from freshman David Bier. Bier's tweet included "#gmu," a search term the site's editorial staff routinely watches.

Early Thursday morning a Cushman brand Housing cart caught on fire near Dominion Hall, causing approximately $7,000 in damages, said a police official.

At 4:23 a.m. last Thursday, the George Mason University Police Department was informed of a fire near Dominion. However, by the time the GMUPD and the City of Fairfax Fire Department arrived, the fire had been extinguished by Securitas officers, said Assistant Chief of the GMU Police George Ginovsky.

“Security officers from Securitas were on the scene and extinguishing the fire with fire extinguishers,” said Ginovsky. “The speculation from the [City of Fairfax] Fire Department is that someone threw a lit cigarette on the seat. It could be an accident, but we’re treating it as an arson.”

According to Ginovsky, security officers on scene were unable to obtain any security footage or witnesses, making it unlikely that the case will be solved.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact  at (703) 993-2810 on their non-emergency line, or at (703) 993-4111 on their crime-solvers anonymous tip hotline.