ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC -- In Orangeburg County, the Sheriff’s Office remains puzzled about several fires in the New Brooklyn Community.  The most recent fire was on Wednesday, and it was the second fire at that particular house.  In less than a month, four abandoned houses on Stilton Road have burned, and some of them have burned more than once.

Investigators call the fires suspicious, but they don’t have any leads.

Helen Hampton is one of the residents in that area, and she’s afraid of what might happen next.  “I am concerned about my business because I’ve been in business for 35, going on 36 years.”

Hampton has lived in this neighborhood all her life.  She has a beauty salon on Stilton Road, and the recent fires worry her.  “I am concerned about my business because people don’t want to go into an area where they’re afraid and stuff like that.  I have big clientele.”

Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams feels the fires have been intentionally set.  His focus is on finding out who’s responsible.  “We feel that’s what it is… it’s arson.  These houses didn’t have any utilities, no indicators they were struck by lightning or anything that may have caused a fire.”

We spoke with another member of this community, someone who’s lived on Stilton Road for more than twenty years.  He did not want to be identified, but he said he’s moving out because he feels the law enforcement isn’t doing their job.

Hampton thinks the Sheriff’s Office is doing all it can.  She just doesn’t understand why the fires are happening.  “You would just wonder… why would they burn those houses?”

Hampton says the New Brooklyn Community is trying to keep their neighborhood clean by volunteering to maintain unoccupied homes.

If you have any information on these fires, call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.