Man Set Fire To His Aunt And Uncle's House In Wheaton: Police

WHEATON, IL — A man has been charged with felony aggravated arson after police say he set fire to his uncle and aunt's home in Wheaton. Nahom T. Abraha, 40, is being held at DuPage County Jail in connection with the Sept. 13 incident.

Firefighters and police officers were called to a home in the 200 block of Woodlawn Street around 6:30 a.m. for a report of a fire. A neighbor reported that they heard a sound and then noticed the back of the house was on fire. Police say the neighbor had used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.

When police got to the scene, they say they found a "large, clear bottle containing a yellow liquid in the yard of a neighboring residence."

Abraha is accused of taking a three-liter container that was filled with gasoline and pouring the gasoline on his uncle and aunt's house before igniting a fire. Police say Abraha went to his car and sat there until his neighbor came out, at which time he drove to the Wheaton Police Department to turn himself in to police.

“Mr. Abraha’s alleged actions endangered not only the lives of those inside the home, but also the lives of our first responders and others in the community,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added. “I commend the neighbor whose quick actions quite possibly averted a tragedy."

Abraha is being held at DuPage County Jail and is set to appear in court on Oct. 13.