13-Year-Old Indiana Boy Arrested in $5 Million Warehouse Fire

June 10, 2008

Police arrested a 13-year-old boy who they say confessed to starting a fire that destroyed a warehouse, causing about $5 million damage.

Anderson, Ind. police say the boy broke into the National Tile Building on June 2 to steal copper and set several small fires to provide light. He faces juvenile charges of burglary, attempted theft and arson, police said. Other arrests are possible, police said.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had joined the investigation into the cause the fire.

Fire officials estimate damage from the blaze at $5 million to the 15-acre complex on the east side of the city about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis. No one was injured.

The fire that sent flames high into the nighttime sky prompted the evacuations of about 20 nearby homes because of possible toxic fumes.

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.