Man, 55, charged with setting 4 Detroit fires

3/4/2014

A house is destroyed by fire on Sunday, March 2, 2014 in Detroit. Authorities say an arson suspect has been arrested shortly after fires broke out on four different Detroit streets. Lt. Dennis Richardson, a Detroit arson investigator say that fires were set in four vacant homes starting around 11:15 a.m. Sunday. Two of the fires spread to adjacent homes and one occupied home was destroyed. Richardson says no one was injured. (AP Photo/Detroit Free Press, Jarrad Henderson)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT  — A prosecutor says a 55-year-old man has been charged with arson on accusations he set fire to four vacant houses in Detroit within a few minutes.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy says two of the fires spread to neighboring occupied houses. No injuries were reported in the fires near Detroit’s northern city limit.

Worthy spokeswoman Maria Miller says Gary P. Lewis faced arraignment today in Detroit District Court. A judge is expected to assign him a lawyer at the hearing.

Miller says the fires all were reported between 11:15 a.m. and 11:52 a.m. Sunday.

Fire Lt. Dennis Richardson says he and another Detroit arson investigator got a tip from area residents and chased down the suspect.