Man arrested for arson after allegedly setting fire to his apartment

DENVER (KDVR) – Fort Collins police reported Thursday that officers arrested a man around 2 a.m. on suspicion of setting fire to his own apartment.

The arrest followed a fire reported at an apartment complex on Stanford Road around 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Several people told Fort Collins Police and Poudre Fire Department that the fire was set by one of the current tenants.

However, officers were unable to locate the suspect as he had fled. The fire was contained to the suspect’s apartment and the rest of the building was evacuated.

Spencer Butler, 36, was arrested on foot near College Avenue and Bockman Drive around 2 a.m. Thursday, according to the police department. In addition to the failure to appear charges stemming from two warrants issued against him prior to the fire, Butler now also faces first- and fourth-degree arson charges.

According to the Colorado Courts website, no formal charges have been filed in the case. Butler is scheduled to appear in court on June 3. According to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Butler is in custody at the detention center, where he has not yet posted bail.

Police reported that the fire department had extinguished the fire and that no one was injured. Residents were allowed to re-enter their homes after the building had been ventilated. At least one apartment was badly damaged by the fire, the authority reported.