TOLEDO, Ohio — Demolition began earlier this month at the former Babcock Dairy building in west Toledo.
The building at 945 Berdan Ave. caught fire March 15. The Toledo Fire Investigation Unit determined the cause was arson.
Firefighters were initially called to the abandoned facility at the intersection of Berdan and Martha avenues shortly after 3 a.m. March 15.
Crews could not enter the building, as it would be unsafe for them to work on the structure. No one was inside the building at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries, firefighters said.
The dairy building dates back to 1919 when Babcock Dairy was a large milk-pasteurization operation. The factory closed in the 1980s.
City officials said this week that preservationists had asked the property's owners to preserve Babcock Dairy's distinctive smoke stack, which had the company's name spelled out in bricks. It is unclear whether the smokestack will remain, however.
Investigators found signs whoever started the fire used an "accelerant" to make it burn quickly.
Police have yet to arrest anyone in the case.
If you have any information call or text Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000 dollars.
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