CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston fire officials say an argument between two individuals experiencing homelessness led to a fire, which tore through a commercial structure in downtown Charleston Tuesday night.
Trevor Dysart, an Assistant Fire Chief with Charleston Fire Department (CFD) said crews responded to the blaze in the 1100 block of Quarrier Street at 11:30 p.m. The blaze occurred next to St. John’s Episcopal Church.
“Later on it became known to us that there was an altercation amongst homeless individuals that were camping alongside the building. One of the individuals started the fire and it seemed to be a retaliation thing towards the other individual,” Dysart told 580-WCHS.
Dysart said the suspect will be charged with second-degree arson.
The first was knocked down in around 90 minutes, Dysart said, but it did wreak havoc. The building was torn down in the early morning hours of Wednesday.
“Fire had just gotten up inside the roof levels and burned the top of it off, leaving the building unstable. For that area of town, with people walking around and the church next door, we did not want to leave that hazard out in the open,” Dysart said.
The building was formerly owned by Covenant House but the church nearby was using it for storage.