Fire at Jewish community center was arson, but not a hate crime, officials say
A fire at the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center in Fort Lauderdale Saturday morning was intentionally set, but not a hate crime, officials say.
The alleged arsonist, Scott Hannaford, 50, is now charged with two counts of arson, criminal mischief, and possession of cocaine, according to Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson Casey Liening. He is a transient resident who has trespassed on the property before.
Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue responded to a call about a vehicle fire at the center on Tarpon Drive and East Las Olas Boulevard a little after 7 a.m. Saturday, according to Liening and Battalion Chief Greg May.
By the time firefighters got there the fire had spread from the vehicle to the actual building, he said. They managed to put the fire out within 20 minutes. No one was inside the building and no one was injured.
Pictures shared by Fire Rescue show heavy smoke coming from the building and firefighters standing on the roof. May did not know the extent of the damage late Saturday morning.
Police “quickly identified” Hannaford as the suspect through “investigative means” and he was taken into custody within hours, Liening said in an email.
“Based on the information we have at this time, this incident is believed to be an isolated incident by a known individual and is NOT considered a hate crime,” she said.
Hannaford has a history of trespassing and drug charges, Broward County court records show
Calls to the Las Olas Chabad and Rabbi Chaim Slavaticki were not returned Saturday.