$5,000 Reward Offered In Spree Of South Shore Arsons

A firefighters' organization is offering a $5,000 reward to help solve a series of arson fires in communities south of Boston.

The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts announced the reward Wednesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for setting the fires.

Suspicious fires have been reported in the past month in Easton, Halifax, Hanson, Kingston, Middleborough, Plympton, Quincy, Raynham and Weymouth. Most have been in unoccupied buildings and there have been no reports of injuries.

"The arson spree in southeastern Massachusetts is needlessly putting the lives of firefighters and the public in jeopardy," said Edward Kelly, the group's president. "We're here today to offer this reward because we want to put a stop to these fires once and for all."

The most recent was Monday night in a building at the defunct Raynham dog track.

"As firefighters, we know we take risks," Kelly added. "We know sometimes we die, but when we die because someone intentionally set a fire, it's particularly painful, particularly tragic and particularly angers us."

The Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association is also offering a reward.

The state fire marshal won't explain why the fires appear to be the work of an arsonist because the investigation is ongoing.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom