Westland Fire Likely Arson, 1 in Custody: Fire Marshal

• Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts

WESTLAND, MI – Fire officials say several signs point to arson in a fire that destroyed a Westland home Saturday evening.

One person has been taken into custody and could be charged in connection with the fire at 32612 Montgomery Court in Norwayne, according to a report on Hometownlife.com.

Wayne-Westland Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Kelly Eggers told the newspaper that investigators from the Michigan State Police are analyzing evidence taken from the scene, and that the floor showed evidence of “possible pour patterns.”

Another indication of arson was how quickly the fire spread, Eggers said.

The home is a rental property and occupied by two children of the owner, according to the report. The fire was reported by one of the children, who came home to find her former stepfather, who recently divorced from her mother, unexpectedly at the home, Eggers told the newspaper.

When questioned, the former stepfather said he had gone to the house to retrieve a television that belonged to him.

“He was very insistent that she leave with him now,” Eggers said. “Then he ran down the driveway, jumped into his car and drove off.”

After he left, the woman noticed smoke and called 911.

A man was arrested Monday in connection with the fire, but police aren’t releasing any information about him, but did confirm that a warrant request had been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.