Abortion clinic fire ruled arson

OLYMPIA -- Local and federal investigators have determined that a fire at an abortion clinic here was intentionally set.

After sifting through the damage, investigators with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Olympia police and fire departments said the fire was started with incendiary materials on the roof, ATF Agent Scott Thomasson said today.

The fire early yesterday morning damaged the roof at the Eastside Women's Health Clinic, causing heat, water and smoke damages in the building's offices, Olympia Fire Capt. Kate McDonald said.

It happened while the clinic was not staffed. No one was injured.

Investigators were following several leads.

Nancy Armstrong, one of the clinic's owners, said the fire destroyed old medical instruments and some documents stored in an attic crawl space but did not damage patient records and will not put the clinic out of business.

Armstrong said the clinic has received no recent threats, though some people have aroused suspicion. The clinic has been picketed weekly for 20 years without any violence.

The clinic sees 30 to 40 patients a day. It is rescheduling appointments through the clinic's answering service.

The only confirmed arson at an abortion clinic in the United States last year was at a women's clinic in Lake Worth, Fla., in July, according to the National Abortion Federation.

An explosion in June 2001 outside a Tacoma medical clinic where a doctor performed abortions was investigated by the FBI. Damage was estimated at $6,000. The National Abortion Federation's Web site indicated the case remained open Sunday.

Jan. 22 is the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.