COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man was arrested after he admitted to police about setting fire to his own house twice, according to court records.
On Monday, the Columbus Division of Fire responded to a house fire in the 600 block of Lock Avenue, located east of Groveport Road. Firefighters saw heavy smoke and fire when they arrived at the scene.
Court records state that a Columbus police officer noticed a man in a “Browns” t-shirt at the scene. He introduced himself as Kenneth Hendricks and said he was the owner of the house.
Hendricks told police that he had “squatters” in the house that he had been trying to evict. Court records state that he and the tenants had ongoing conflicts and he believed that they had stolen his truck and killed his 20-year-old dog Sunday night.
Hendricks confessed to police that he had set fire in the living room which spread to the front porch, according to court records. He also told police that he opened all the doors to let the dogs out and that he did not intend to kill anyone.
While people were living there, Hendricks said no one was home at the time of the fire.
Columbus fire was called to the home on Lock Avenue on Thursday for another report of a fire. Firefighters saw flames spreading from the debris piled next to the house, up the side of the house and onto the roof.
Firefighters also saw Hendricks placing debris into the fire, according to court records.
Hendricks was taken into custody. While in the back of the police cruiser, he told officers that he had “set it on fire.”
During an interview, Hendricks told investigators that he intentionally set the debris on fire hoping that it burned the structure of the house.
Court records state that the house Hendricks burned was owned by a bank and was being used as a rental. The affidavit also said that the home was occupied at the time it was set on fire.
Hendricks is charged with aggravated arson.