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Guy Sets Motel Room Fire Because Satan Lived There

Totally makes sense, right?

(Newser) - There’s only one obvious reason a person might set his motel room blankets on fire: Because he thinks he’s sharing the room with Satan. That’s the excuse a 52-year-old Washington man gave to cops after allegedly starting the motel room fire Friday, the Herald reports. He had...

Arsonist Busted After Leaving Fingertip at Scene

Cops found Ismael Ortiz, not surprisingly, at a hospital

(Newser) - Ismael Ortiz left something kinda important behind after allegedly setting a Florida home on fire: the tip of his finger. Police found the evidence inside a latex glove; a detective says Ortiz slammed his finger in a door while fleeing the scene. They found Ortiz, 24, at a local hospital,...

Man Torches Foreclosed Home, Shoots Himself, Wife

He threatens mayhem in 911 call

(Newser) - Economic hard times took a deadly turn when a soon-to-be-fired 60-year-old California man apparently torched his foreclosed home and shot himself and his wife. Authorities found the remains of two people in the ashes of the suburban San Diego home after the man called 911 to report that he had...

Israel Hunts Settlers in Mosque Fire

They allegedly burned prayer rugs, Korans

(Newser) - The Koran-burning furor appears to have arrived in the West Bank. Five Jewish settlers are alleged to have broken into a mosque in the Palestinian town of Beit Fajjar early today and set fire to it, along with prayer rugs and a large number of Korans, witnesses tell al-Jazeera . The...

Muslims Suspect Arson at Tenn. Mosque Site

Construction vehicles vandalized

(Newser) - A vehicle used to break ground for a new mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was set on fire early Saturday morning, and three other vehicles were vandalized, doused in accelerant but not torched. The Muslims building the mosque call the fire one of several recent attempts at intimidation they’ve endured....

Suicide Boy, 14, Kills Mom, 3 Siblings

Staten Island blaze was murder-suicide

(Newser) - New York City police believe a troubled teen slit the throats of his two sisters before setting the family home on fire and cutting his own throat. The mother and 2-year-old brother of 14-year-old CJ Jones also perished in the Staten Island blaze. CJ was found with a straight razor...

Medical Marijuana Shops Firebombed in Montana

'Not In Our Town' sprayed on businesses

(Newser) - Two Montana businesses legally providing medical marijuana in Billings have been firebombed in two days. The attackers—who could face up to 20 years in prison on felony arson charges if caught and convicted—also spray painted "Not In Our Town" across the front of the operations. Police have...

Texas Arsonists Torching Churches

Security stepped up after 10 church fires so far this year

(Newser) - A string of church fires in East Texas has stumped authorities and frightened congregations, with seven so far this year having been set by arsonists and another three thought to be their handiwork. The damage runs into the millions of dollars and some churches have begun organizing night watches, the...

UK Man Busted in Teen Jockeys' Arson Deaths

Man held in tragedy that shocked the racing world

(Newser) - British police investigating the deaths of two promising young jockeys in a fire have arrested a man on suspicion of arson. Irish jockey Jamie Kyne, 18, died along with Jan Wilson, a Scottish 19-year-old, when fire ripped through an apartment complex housing young riders in September, the Independent reports.

Wildfire Suspect Charged in Heart Attack 'Murders'

Unusual case links arson to deaths

(Newser) - California officials have taken the unusual step of charging a wildfire arson suspect with murder in the death of 5 people who suffered heart attacks escaping the flames. Prosecutors intend to prove the stress of the fire caused the deaths in the massive 2003 San Bernardino blaze. The groundbreaking case...

3 Teens Set Another on Fire, Police Say

15-year-old victim in Florida will be in hospital for 5 months

(Newser) - Three Florida teens have been charged with the brutal crime of dousing another teenager with a flammable liquid and setting him on fire. The 15-year-old victim, who was sitting by a pool at the time of the attack, is in serious condition and is expected to remain hospitalized for 5...

Teenage Brit Jockeys Killed in Arson

Police have arrested suspected arsonist in his 30s

(Newser) - Two promising apprentice jockeys were killed yesterday in a suspected arson fire set at their apartment building in northern England. "Apprentice of the season" Jamie Kyne, 18, was found dead along with female jockey Jan Wilson, 19, in Kyne's apartment where several riders had gathered for a party. Two...

Cost of Fighting Wildfire Tops $37M

(Newser) - The fight to contain the deadly Los Angeles-area Station fire has so far cost more than $37 million, the LA Times reports, and that’s not counting property damage or the cost to the environment. The blaze is still burning through the San Gabriel Wilderness, but it’s 42% contained,...

Lab Tests Substance in LA Wildfire Probe

Station fire, 42% contained, chars 148K acres

(Newser) - Investigators of a deadly Los Angeles wildfire are having a substance from the scene tested to confirm whether the blaze was man-made. “There was material that didn't belong there," a source tells the Los Angeles Times. "It was clear evidence that the fire was intentionally set....

LA Fire Began as Arson: Feds

With blaze having killed 2 firefighters, sheriff begins homicide investigation

(Newser) - The wildfire that has burned 144,000 acres north of Los Angeles was set by arsonists, the US Forest Service said this afternoon. With the blaze having killed two firefighters, authorities are now treating the matter as homicide, KTLA-TV reports, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department has begun an...

Kuwait Wedding Fire Linked to Groom's Ex

(Newser) - The fire that engulfed a wedding tent in Kuwait and killed 43 women and children in less than 3 minutes was set by the groom's ex-wife, local media reported today. A government spokesman confirmed that the arsonist has confessed, according to the AP, but offered no further details. The incident...

Activists Torch Drug CEO's Home, Steal Mom's Ashes

(Newser) - Animal rights militants have torched the home of the CEO of drug giant Novartis and stolen his mother's ashes from a Swiss cemetery, say company officials. Employees' cars have also been vandalized and attacked with crude explosive devices, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Palm Tree Blazes Baffle Texas Officials

(Newser) - Officials in the coastal Texas town of Galveston are baffled by a series of arson fires targeting palm trees, the Houston Chronicle reports. “This is strange,” the town’s fire marshal says of the spree, which has hit 30 trees since May. “It’s the first case...

Recession Drives Boom in Auto Fraud

(Newser) - Car-insurance fraud spurred by the recession is continuing unabated, Newsweek reports. “Give-ups”—feigning theft or arson to collect insurance money on an unwanted vehicle—are up 24% this year over last, according to an industry group. And claims stemming from suspicious car fires are up 27%. “Normally...

Arsonist Strikes Topless Maine Coffee Shop

(Newser) - The fire that destroyed a controversial topless coffee shop in Maine late last night was arson, the Kennebec Journal reports. The police are seeking witnesses “who might have seen vehicles parked in that general area around 1am Wednesday morning or anyone walking along the roadway.” Seven people escaped...

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