A Vancouver man suspected of setting fire to an apartment complex in Hazel Dell made a first appearance Thursday in Clark County Superior Court.
Mark O’Neil, 49, was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of first-degree arson. He’s accused of setting a fire at the Oak Tree Apartments, where he lives, according to court records.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Fire District 6 responded about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday to a small fire at the apartment complex, 7317 N.E. Hazel Dell Ave.
A witness, Katrina Cooper, told police she saw O’Neil set fire to the north side of the building. She said she saw him bend over against the building, west from where she was, and when he stood up, flames erupted in front of him, the affidavit said.
Cooper said O’Neil ran off and that he left behind a small gas can in the flames, court records said.
Investigators subsequently found a melted gas can in the building’s foundation vent at the base of the north-facing wall. Based on the damage and bubbled paint, it appeared the flames reached 10 to 15 feet high. Residents put the fire out with a garden hose before firefighters arrived.
Fire investigators also discovered that three fire extinguishers mounted on the side of the complex had been removed and intentionally discharged, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Another witness, Mary Philbrick, who first called 911, gave a similar account of how the fire started. A fire investigator who examined him noticed that O’Neil’s mustache was burned, court records said.
A motive for the alleged arson was not listed in court documents. At least one witness said she knows O’Neil has mental health issues.
Judge Derek Vanderwood appointed attorney Diane Grecco to represent O’Neil. Grecco said she’d like O’Neil to undergo a mental health evaluation.
O’Neil has some criminal history, most of which dates to the late-1980s and is related to drugs and alcohol, Deputy Prosecutor James Smith said.
Vanderwood set O’Neil’s bail at $100,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 20.
