Texas Arson Hotline Nabs Juveniles in Austin Fire

An anonymous phone call to the state’s Arson Hotline resulted in the arrests of two juveniles in connection with an apartment fire in Austin. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage.

Austin fire investigators say two boys, ages 12 and 14, set fire to a mattress inside an abandoned fourplex in northeast Austin on April 21. The two boys along with a girl jumped off a two story balcony to escape the fire.

Austin firefighters managed to contain the blaze to the one unit located at 10116 Diamond Back Trail. The juvenile suspects were arrested, charged with first degree felony arson and placed in the Gardner Betts Juvenile Detention Center.

Captain Andy Reardon of the Austin Fire Department said arson investigators had little to go on until they received the tip from the state’s Arson Hotline.

“All we had was a description of two boys and a girl running from the fire,” said Reardon. “The Arson Hotline tip provided us a name which led to confessions and arrests.”

Source: A Texas Advisory Council on Arson