SPRINGDALE -- Firefighters put out a fire at a duplex Thursday afternoon they believe was intentionally set, said Kevin McDonald, assistant chief.
"There's a lot of 'suspicious nature' to this fire," McDonald said.
One man was taken to a hospital with injuries after firefighters arrived at 2:10 p.m. to fight the fire at 1101 Backus Ave., No. 1, McDonald said.
McDonald didn't think man's injuries were severe. He had no update on the man's condition.
Firefighters suspect the man taken to the hospital is the person who set the fire, McDonald said. The man has a criminal history, he said.
Neighbors also told firefighters the man's wife and child may have left two days ago, McDonald said.
The fire started in one of the two bedrooms in the duplex and spread into the hall, McDonald said. Two men were in the other unit at the time the fire started but they escaped without injury, he said.
The side of the duplex where the fire started was severely damaged, McDonald said. The unit is no longer inhabitable and has about $30,000 in damages, McDonald said.
The other unit had only smoke damage and is inhabitable, he said.
McDonald didn't release the name of the man Thursday and referred questions about the man to police.
Police spokesman Lt. Derek Wright had no information on the case Thursday evening.
Firefighters were still on scene around 4 p.m. looking for the cause of the fire, McDonald said. The incident is under investigation, he said.
NW News on 09/04/2015