Arson suspect admitted to tampering with gas line

ABC 17 News reported Wednesday that a man was arrested in connection to a Jefferson City fire.

31-year-old James Stude was arrested Wednesday for the fire in the 1200 block of East McCarty Street late Saturday night.

Court documents said one firefighter fell down a flight of stairs while working to get the fire under control.

He was injured and taken to the hospital.

Investigators determined the fire was not an accident and that it was started on the kitchen floor.

Days later, police arrested Stude, who they said admitted to setting the fire by tampering with the gas line and spreading a can of lighter fluid on the floor, leading to the gas line, and lighting the flammable liquid before leaving.

Stude is charged with second degree arson because the fire was started in a residential area, putting other houses in danger, and because a person was injured.

He’s currently being held in the Cole Co. Jail.

Right now, investigators are still looking for a motive.

In the past 5 years, Stude was named in a number of restraining orders.