Published: July 08, 2009 01:48 pm      

Jeffersonville councilman’s house set on fire after reported break-in

Nathan Samuel says fire accelerant found in home

A Jeffersonville City Council member’s home caught fire Monday afternoon in an apparent arson.

Nathan Samuel said he received a call from his home alarm company that his back door had been breached. He told them he would call his 17-year-old daughter to see if she had inadvertently set off the alarm.

About that time, she was returning home from a walk and saw the back of the house on fire, Samuel said.

The Jeffersonville Fire Department was dispatched at 4:10 p.m. to the house on the 3200 block of Cypress Pointe. Fire Marshal Mike McCutcheon said the alarm sounding allowed them to have a quick response that minimized the damage.

He estimated approximately $25,000 in damage to the house. There were no injuries.

“We were very fortunate and feel blessed that it’s not any worse than it is now,” Samuel said. “The fire department got there quick, and they were able to suppress [the fire] and save a lot of damage.”

Samuel said an accelerant — any chemical used to speed the spread of a fire — had been poured on the floor and the back door. He said the entire back door was completely burned down, and there was significant smoke damage.

McCutcheon said the cause of the fire is under investigation, and he would not confirm the presence of the accelerants. However, he said it did appear there had been a break-in and said the fire originated just inside the rear door.

Samuel said fire officials told his insurance company the act was arson.

The councilman said he thinks about what could have happened if his daughter was home and feels pleased with how the situation turned out. He does not know if his house was targeted for some reason or if it was chosen at random, but he said he doesn’t believe his family has any enemies.

“I guess I would feel a lot better if I knew it was random,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some resolution.”

The Jeffersonville Fire Marshal’s Office and the Jeffersonville Police Department are conducting a joint investigation. Anyone with information can call the fire marshal’s office at 812-285-6410 or the anonymous tip line at 812-218-TIPS.



YOU CAN HELP

• The Jeffersonville Fire Marshal’s Office and the Jeffersonville Police Department are conducting a joint investigation on this fire. Anyone with information can call the fire marshal’s office at 812-285-6410 or the anonymous JPD tip line at 812-218-TIPS.