Man Arrested After Allegedly Setting His Mobile Home on Fire in Grand Rapids

A man that stated he had started a fire and wanted to die was taken into custody yesterday in Grand Rapids.

At 10:36 p.m., on July 28th, the Grand Rapids Fire Department responded to a mobile home fire on Diane Lane in Grand Rapids. When deputies arrived, they saw heavy black smoke coming from the mobile home. Officers also discovered that there was a person still inside.

Due to heavy smoke, officers were not able to enter but made contact with a man near the back of the home. According to the release, the man stated that he had started the fire and wanted to die. The man refused to come out of the home. At one point an officer was able to grab onto his arm through an open window, but the man was able to get away.

Once the fire department arrived, they were able to safely enter the home and bring the man out. Once the man was outside of the home, he fought with officers and had to be restrained. He was then placed into a waiting ambulance and transported to Grand Itasca Hospital for evaluation.

The fire department was able to put out the fire. The Grand Rapids Fire Department with the assistance of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal will be investing the arson fire.