Kansas City Firefighters Case 3. Pat O'Connor, a researcher and editor, has done extensive research into the arson fires and explosions that rocked Kansas City in 1988 and took the lives of six Kansas City firemen. For him, there are many issues with this case that he cannot dismiss. From a stalled investigation to a big reward for information, this case took many years to reach a conclusion. But has this case been solved? Or were the Marlborough Five simply easy targets for a city seeking justice?