Breaking News - Posted: 11/3/03

House fire is arson; $100,000 reward offered

Arson has been ruled in the Oct. 25 fire that destroyed a 15,000 square foot home in Forest Lake and a reward of up to $100,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

The two new developments were announced Monday at a press conference in Forest Lake with local police and fire officials and investigators from the state fire marshalís office and the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that is providing assistance in the case.

Mondayís briefing was punctuated by numerous ìno commentî responses from Ron Rahmans, an investigator for the state fire marshal.

Rahman and Chief of Police David Schwartz said the on-going investigation ruled out any possible accidental cause of the fire that destroyed the $4.5 million home that had been under construction since May of 2002 and was two months from completion.

With all accidental causes eliminated, arson is the only cause remaining, officials said.

Rahman would not comment on how the fire may have started, any potential suspects, where the blaze started in the home or the nature of calls made to the home owners following a newspaper article in mid-October featuring the home that was being built at 6985 North Shore Trail N. He said the investigators were in possession of evidence they did not wish to share with the general public.

The investigators did ask for the publicís help from anyone who may have been on the water of Forest Lake on the night of Oct. 24 and the morning of Oct. 25. Officials would not elaborate on the specific nature of the request.

The reward of up to $100,000 comes from an anonymous donor and it has no ties to the owners of the home or their family, Rahman said.

Persons wishing to report information are asked to call the 24-hour Arson Hotline at 1-800-723-2020 or the Forest Lake Police Department at 651-464-5877.

Top of Page