West Main Street fire being investigated as arson

A teenager has been detained for starting the fire that damaged a Jefferson City home Thursday afternoon. The house is in the 1400 block of West Main Street.

Crews said the fire started at about 3:15 when a neighbor called 911 claiming they heard an explosion that came from the basement from the house next door, at 1405 West Main. That same neighbor reported seeing a young man leaving the house at the same time.

Police later found that teenager and say they confirmed he was the one who started the fire. The 14-year-old boy and his mother had lived at the home before, so he was familiar with the building.

“He and his mother were prior residents at the building itself, he had a familiarity of how to get in, went to the basement area, possibly to smoke. We don’t know exactly what yet, that’s still under investigation. We believe the fire probably started with some sort of gas container which caused the explosion itself. We have no reason to believe he was intentionally trying to harm anybody within, but the fact that the fire was intentionally set within a structure that was inhabited of course makes it a first degree arson charge,” said Jefferson City Police Captain Doug Shoemaker.

Investigators are still working to find a motive in the case; the teenager faces a charge of first-degree arson.

Two families were displaced by the fire, but no one was hurt. The fire extended to the first floor and that smoke damage could be seen through the second floor.

“It’s not a total loss, but there is some heavy damage throughout the structure. Right now we’re working with the police department to get a cause and determination, interviewing the neighbors around the structure to determine what they see and what they actually saw to help determine the cause,” said Jason Turner with the Jefferson City Fire Department.

The Red Cross was also at the scene helping residents look for a temporary place to live. One firefighter had a minor injury but was treated at the scene.