Young boys may face charges in lumber yard fire

OLD TOWN SPRING, TX

Charges could soon be filed in the case, and against some children.

The owners at Bayer Lumber and Water say they believe the boys started the fire accidentally. And many people in this small community are upset the district attorney's office isn't dropping the matter.

It was a fast-moving fire allegedly started by two teens.

"It was scary. It was scary," neighbor Sharon Pascoe said.

And neighbors are finding out the kids, who investigators say were behind the destruction at the old Bayer Lumber Yard and Water Company last Friday, are now facing big legal problems.

"They admitted to doing it. They didn't try to hide it or basically run from the fact," neighbor Kevin Jackson said.

Arson investigators say the Harris County District Attorney's Office has decided to move forward with a case against the two boys who claim the fire was an accident. That has some neighbors upset.

"They are 13 years old -- 12, 13 years old. They are kids. That's all they are. That's all said and done. Who hasn't done stuff that they regret?" Pascoe said.

The boys told investigators they were playing with fire in a hay barn on the property. That fire quickly spread, and within a few hours, nearly 100 emergency workers were tied up and trying to contain the flames.

"With it being an accident, I don't think we should try to destroy their lives, because I really think they learned their lesson," neighbor Roy Adams said.

Now the boys behind this fire could be heading to juvenile court or probation.

"Hopefully they'll go light on them because that's what it was, a mistake. But they should be taught a lesson," Jackson said.

The fire marshal's office says the boys and their parents have been very cooperative throughout the investigation.