BROOKLYN • Authorities are investigating whether a fire that destroyed a building here early this morning was the work of a suspected serial arsonist.

Mayor Nathaniel O'Bannon said the building at North Fifth and Madison streets, which used to be a laundromat, was being renovated to be opened as a restaurant. The Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire, which began about 4:30 a.m.

O'Bannon said the owner of the building recently leased the space out and $6,000 had been spent to gut it and convert it to a restaurant. The restaurant was due to open next month.

O'Bannon believes an arsonist is at work after fires in at least four vacant buildings in a three-week period.

"We just had a fire on Saturday at a house on Jefferson Street," he said. "Nobody wants to talk. It's hard to put your hands on these folks. You have to see them committing the offense. We are trying to build a paper trail. I need some cameras in various areas."

The cash-strapped city is hoping to find help fighting such crimes.

"We don't have funds to put cameras up," he said. "We don't have a neighborhood watch, which I tried to put in place when I came in. I'm trying to reach out to residents to help out."