Police looking for alleged arsonist who set a Melbourne bridge on fire causing structural damage

Melbourne officials investigate arson after fires damage bridge

Officials in Melbourne say an arsonist is responsible for a series of fires set beneath a Melbourne bridge, leaving taxpayers to shoulder what could be a significant repair bill.

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Officials in Melbourne say an arsonist is responsible for a series of fires set beneath a Melbourne bridge.

The damage caused by the fires have left taxpayers to shoulder what could be a significant repair bill.

What we know:

The city council discussed the issue at the Dec. 9 city council meeting where they approved around $200,000 to pay engineers who will survey what happened and analyze total damage to the bridge on Apollo near Eau Gallie High School. 

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) first informed the city in November about the fire damage at the bridge when they were doing a routine inspection. 

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City crews, police and fire officials investigated the initial information and discovered it wasn’t an accident, and it wasn’t just one fire. Multiple had been set charring the concrete and forcing the city to use tax dollars to fund repairs.

The bridge is still structurally sound and open for traffic, but fire damage like this isn’t an easy fix. The city will have to bring in engineers from across the country to survey the site and come up with construction costs and plans going forward.

Melbourne police are still looking for the alleged fire starter. City council is concerned about the bridge closing in the future and restricting traffic flow. At the time, officials are working to keep the thoroughfare open and fix the damage as fast as possible. More information will be presented to city council in the future.

What they're saying:

City leaders aren’t happy an alleged arsonist is targeting public infrastructure and putting residents in danger.

"I want them arrested and charged with the highest crime possible," said Melbourne city council member David Neuman. "Threats to public safety is a number one concern of mine, and this person is causing a safety threat to residents, and I can’t stand it."

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He’s worried about how this will affect the city’s budget and is frustrated they have to use tax dollars to address this issue. Full construction costs have not been set yet for the project.

"It was not one fire but a series of fires that had been repeatedly set under the structural elements which had led to the damage," said a city spokesperson briefing the council on the situation.

What we don't know:

It’s unclear if the fire starter is one person or several. It’s also unclear if other areas have been hit in the city. The initial inspection and reports could take 180 days, and the city doesn’t have a timeline yet for when total repairs will be made.