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Jun 21, 2008 10:11 pm US/Central
Haltom City Apartment Fire Now Arson
Cops Look For 25-Year-Old
HALTOM CITY (CBS) ―
Police are looking for a 25-year-old man who they suspect set a fire at the Springlake Apartments that left one man dead and about a dozen residents with little or nothing.
It started early Saturday morning at the Springlake Apartments just off of Loop 820 at Haltom Road.
"I went out on my balcony and I saw lights and it looked like daylight and fire engines everywhere," recalled resident Tamra Stotts.
The fire roared through three stories burning escape routes for a dozen apartments as other residents frantically began warning neighbors.
"Somebody banged on my door and they told us, 'Hey, the apartment directly beneath you is on fire,' " resident Bryan Basten said. "They said, 'You need to come get out and get your stuff.' Stuff? You're looking at it," Basten asked as he glanced down at the T-shirt, jeans and sandals he was wearing.
He didn't even have time to grab his wallet, the displaced resident said.
"Anytime you have a fire in an apartment complex late at night or early in the morning you have the potential of losing lots of people," explained Deputy Chief Fred Napp of the Haltom City Fire Department. "There were people here who are lucky to be alive today."
After finally knocking down the flames, fire fighters found the body of a 20-year-old man body in the third story rubble. They're not sure how the unidentified man died.
Meantime, Red Cross and neighbors help out the 40 people left without apartments. The apartment management team said it had eight vacant apartments to where they could relocate some of the residents.
Others have found comfort in their fellow apartment dwellers.
"We've let two girls come in and shower and they're sleeping right now," Rachel Orfield said. "So, its pretty sad for them. It makes you realize it could have happened to any one of us at any point and time."
Some left untouched by the fire said they're done taking chances on apartment living.
"I'm outta here," said Stotts. "I'm not going to deal with this. Being single and everything this is all I got."
An arrest warrant was issued for Johnny Waller for arson of a habitation involving Injury or death that comes with a $250,000 bond.
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