HOUSE FIRE IN AMHERST

HOMEOWNER ARRESTED AT SCENE

Amherst – A house fire at 107 Keswick Court in Amherst is under investigation today and the homeowner was arrested at the scene for misconduct.

Captain Greg Knoll of the Amherst Fire Department said that the call came in as a house fire and when they arrived on scene they had heavy smoke coming from the roof area of the home. “The fire appears to have started on the outside of the building and burned up the backside and made entrance into the attic. It set the attic on fire above the bonus room that is located above the garage.”

Knoll said that Firefighters attacked the fire from the rear of the structure and inside. “The first crew went to the rear and started knocking that down while the second crew went inside and upstairs. They pulled down the ceiling, found the fire and knocked it down as well.”

While Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze neighbors say that the homeowner, Jimmy Finley, was seen arguing with Amherst Police Officers. One neighbor said Finley kept yelling at the Officers and became aggressive with them before they arrested him.

Lieutenant Joseph Kucirek of the Amherst Police Department confirmed today that Finley was arrested. “Finley was taken into custody at the scene of a fire, transported to the Amherst Police Department where he was processed through booking and charged with Misconduct at an Emergency, Obstructing Official Business and Resisting Arrest. He was later released on a $2,750.00 bond pending his appearance in Oberlin Municipal Court on October 7th.”

Captain Knoll said that although they believe the fire started behind the house on the deck area, they have called in the Lorain County Arson Investigators to verify that and to determine what caused the fire.

Amherst received mutual aid from South Amherst and Oberlin at the scene while Elyria Township Firefighters covered their Station.

The Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the family.

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