Serial arsonist Albert Zenner has passed away of natural causes at the age of 67. Known to many in the Chicago area, Zenner was so infamous during his crime spree that his exploits inspired a character in a film directed by Ron Howard.
In the 1991 film Backdraft, veteran actor Donald Sutherland portrayed an imprisoned serial arsonist similar to Zenner. In the film, firefighters played by Kurt Russell and William Baldwin attempt to put a stop to a series of arson fires. In real life, the situation was even grimmer.
Zenner was the suspect in hundreds of fires throughout the ‘70s. Although he was not always charged, most fire fighters knew his work when they saw it. In order to create chaos and confusion, Zenner would often travel around the city and start fires at multiple locations. While his motives were not always clear, it is said that he was obsessed with flames and enjoyed watching buildings burn to the ground. As Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred, puts it, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.”
Now the man, known to many fire fighters through the city as Fat Albert, is no more. He died last month, leaving behind a legacy of one of the most notorious arsonists in the entire world. However, there are others just as dangerous still out there.
Albert Zenner terrorized the city of Chicago. The fires he started spread chaos and fear. It takes a team of fire and arson investigators to put these people in their place.
If you suspect you or a loved one is the victim of arson, you can always count on the team at John Michael Agosti and Associates to uncover the truth.
–John
*Image courtesy of http://jenniferbernardbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/favorite-fireman-movies.html
