The Planned Parenthood clinic on Auburn Avenue is back open after a fire Thursday night. An intruder broke into the building and set the fire, according to a statement from Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio CEO and President Nan Whaley.
"While there is significant damage to the first floor, the remainder of the building was unaffected," Whaley said in the statement. "Every decision we make is with safety in mind, and we are taking all necessary precautions to safeguard our health centers. We are proud to ensure continued care for patients even today, and we remain as resilient and resolute as ever to continue providing care, no matter what."
The Cincinnati Fire Investigative Unit is investigating; that investigation is standard procedure when fire fighters on the scene are not immediately able to determine a fire's cause. Whaley says the organization is working with local authorities to identify the intruder.
A spokesperson for the Cincinnati Fire Department confirmed that this fire was an act of arson.
"It is an active, multi-agency investigation," the spokesperson said in a statement. "As more information is available we will share that with the public."
Mayor Aftab Pureval condemned the "outrageous arson attack" in a statement.
"We will find the perpetrator and we will hold them accountable," Pureval said. "The investigation is pending and we do not yet know the motive. But let's be clear, we will not be intimidated. Cincinnati stands firmly with Planned Parenthood and will continue to support reproductive rights and access to healthcare."
Initial statements from the Cincinnati Fire Department and Cincinnati Police Department say the building's fire alarm went off just before midnight Thursday. Initial units arrived and requested assistance after observing "moderate smoke" coming from the rear of the building.
"Crews located a fire in a storage room on the first floor that was being contained by the sprinkler system," the fire department statement says. "Crews extinguished the remainder of the fire and conducted searches throughout the building."
The Fire Department was on scene for about an hour and a half, "removing smoke and limiting water damage from the sprinkler activation." It estimates the amount of damage at about $75,000.
The building includes both the Surgical Center, which provides abortion services, and the Health Center, which offers services like wellness and preventive care, STD testing and treatment, vaccines and birth control.
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