Coventry Man Charged With Arson For East Providence Fire: Cops

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — A Coventry man set fire to a rug, trapping an occupant of a building who was unable to escape due to the size of the flames, police said.

The Coventry man, 27-year-old Terel Molina was arrested Wednesday and charged with arson in connection with the 1 a.m. Saturday fire, the East Providence Police Department said in a media release.

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East Providence police officers investigating a report of a fire in the back lot of a building on Pawtucket Avenue near Taunton Avenue found a burning black rug outside the south entrance, according to the release.

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"Officers used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames," the release said.

"The building was occupied at the time of the fire," the release said. "A building occupant attempted to exit the building after witnessing the fire actively burning but was unable to flee to safety due to the size of the flames."

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East Providence police Detective Corp. Patrick Kelley, the lead investigator on the case, "tracked down video surveillance footage of the incident," according to the release, and the "investigation also led to the identification and location of a vehicle associated with the arson suspect, who had purchased motor oil at a local convenience store and used it as an accelerant in the fire."

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Molina was eventually identified as the arsonist, according to the release.

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