New information on W. 106th St. arson fire from which couple, baby narrowly escaped
CLEVELAND (WJW) — An arrest warrant out now for a person-of-interest in an arson fire set while the family was asleep inside their home suggests the man knew the victims.
The arrest warrant, issued on Monday for a 21-year-old man, states the West 106th Street home was owned by his grandmother’s landlord.
Ohio theft ring appears to be part of larger issue: Law enforcement
Though the warrant lists the person-of-interest by name, he has not been formally charged.
A detective attested the man went to the home in the city’s Edgewater neighborhood just after 2 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, and used accelerant to set the home on fire.
The residents, a young couple and their 7-month-old son who were asleep inside, narrowly escaped by jumping from a second-level rooftop, FOX 8 News reported. Their dog perished, but their cat was later found alive.
Surveillance footage shows at least two people set the house’s porch on fire the night prior. But that fire didn’t take, so the suspects came back the next day, investigators said.
Investigators told FOX 8 News they’re considering that the suspects were seeking revenge for a previous dispute.
Pedestrian killed in Cleveland hit-and-run Tuesday
The fire spread to nearby homes and vehicles — one of which reportedly exploded — causing $700,000 in damage, investigators said.
The family’s house is a total loss. As of Monday morning, donors have raised more than $55,000 via GoFundMe to “rebuild” their life.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463 or arson investigators at 216-664-6380.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
