Man's Neighbor Suspected of Throwing Lit Gas Can Into Home

A Fort Worth man is in jail after firefighters say he threw a lit gasoline can into his neighbor's house Tuesday morning.

Firefighters were called to a home on the 3400 block of Nies Street, north of state Highway 121, at about 6:30 a.m. after a man told police his neighbor threw something through his window that started a fire.

Police said a man and woman were asleep when they woke to the sound of shattering glass and the sudden glow of flames.

"They heard a window break, then they saw the fire. They saw the brightness of the fire ignite, because [the suspect] used an accelerant like gasoline," said battalion chief Donald Clark.

Firefighters said a person who lived next door to the couple likely threw a lit gas can into the house. A motive for the act has not been revealed.

The gas-fueled fire ripped through and destroyed the house in minutes.

"When you got people inside of a house, and you try to light it off, he could have easily killed them. It's a crime. It's a very heinous crime," Clark said. "It's very rare. I've been a firefighter more than 30 years, and I can only think of one other time something like this has happened between neighbors like this."

No injuries were reported.

The victim's neighbor, whose name has not yet been released, was taken into custody and is expected to face arson charges. Firefighters said the man's clothes reeked of gasoline and that he had to be washed down

Contact Us