Ramsey County (trfnews.i234.me) — A 27-year-old man is facing felony first-degree arson charges after allegedly setting his Saint Paul apartment on fire just hours after receiving an eviction notice.
The blaze broke out around 5:18 p.m. on March 20 at a multi-unit residence on Victoria Street. When emergency crews arrived, one apartment was fully engulfed in flames. Witnesses reported seeing Thaddeus Kurran Mitchell fleeing the scene with bags.
One neighbor told police Mitchell had threatened to burn the building, although his sister denied this. Mitchell later claimed the fire started accidentally while using a bong, but investigators found multiple points of origin, indicating it was intentionally set.
He is now in custody with bail set at $50,000 and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted.
TRF News will continue to monitor this case as it develops.
Did you know?
The National Fire Protection Association reports over 52,000 intentionally set structure fires annually in the U.S., causing billions in damages and hundreds of fatalities.
I’m Chris Harper, and I’m reporting for TRF News.