Alleged arsonist sets 3 separate fires inside apartment building on Houston's southside

Friday, October 29, 2021
Arsonist accused of setting 3 fires inside southside apartments
Arsonist accused of setting 3 fires inside southside apartmentsFirefighters responded to three separate fires inside the apartments near NRG overnight. Now, officials are searching for the arsonist.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Someone intentionally set three separate fires in an apartment complex on Houston's southside overnight, according to fire officials.

Firefighters responded to the Haven At Main apartments on Main Street near Old Spanish Trail, just across from NRG Stadium, around 3 a.m. Friday.

According to Houston fire officials, when firefighters arrived, they found three small fires in the building: a burning wreath on a door, a car on fire on the eighth floor of the parking garage and a fire in a stairwell.

Video from the scene shows the burned wreath and a lot of water damage in the building. A pickup truck with a shattered windshield and a charred roof was towed away.

Investigators believe someone set the fires intentionally.

"We extinguished each fire easily, with the help of the sprinkler system," District Chief Greg Leonard with HFD said. "Now we're just cleaning up. But we had no major fire, no injuries, thankfully."

According to a resident in the apartment complex, another small fire was ignited inside the building Thursday.

"Yesterday it was one on the fifth floor. This morning the fire alarms went off around 1 or 2," said Nia Stone, who has lived at the apartments since January. "It just looks like someone set something on fire and threw it there, and left and ran."

She provided a photo of the aftermath of the small fire in her hallway Thursday.

Firefighters said there are many surveillance cameras throughout the apartment complex. Investigators are going through the footage with hopes of tracking down the alleged arsonist.

HPD said its firefighters did not respond to the complex Thursday, but that it is likely because the fire was small enough for the residents to handle.

The apartment management did not have a comment about the fires.

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