Suspicion is high that arson is behind a house fire in West St. Paul early Monday.
Simultaneous blazes broke out about 1 a.m. on the front and back porches of the single-family home in the 1000 block of Stryker Avenue, said South Metro Assistant Fire Chief Mark Erickson.
The occupant fled the flames, with one person needing attention for smoke inhalation, Erickson said. Firefighters made quick work of dousing the flames, he added.
The two porches were severely charred, while damage from smoke and the firefighters’ water was evident in the house, the assistant chief said
“The tipping point for us” in suspecting arson is the there being “fire in two locations” at the same time, Erickson said.
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