x
Breaking News
More () »

Homeless man who allegedly set fires at 3 apartments arrested, officials say

A homeless man was arrested after Fort Worth Fire investigated three apartment fires in East Fort Worth, police said.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A man was arrested for allegedly setting fires at three different apartments on the east side of Fort Worth, officials said. 

The Fort Worth Fire Department responded to three apartment fires between Nov. 15 and Nov. 19, and investigators found that all of them were intentionally set, according to a press release. 

After speaking with witnesses and gathering surveillance video, fire department investigators identified Adam Ewing, 35, as a suspect in all three crimes, the release stated. 

Ewing was arrested in a homeless encampment Monday, Nov. 16 off Eastchase Parkway in Fort Worth, officials said. He is charged with three felony counts of arson, the release stated. 

According to an arrest warrant obtained by WFAA, when witnesses asked Ewing if he started one of the fires, he replied, "Yeah I did." 

According to FWFD Arson Captain Wayne May, Ewing admitted to starting the fires when investigators interviewed him following the arrest. 

"He was extremely upset that he was kicked out of the apartment that he did not have permission to stay in," May said. 

According to May, Ewing told investigators he planned on setting additional apartments on fire because he was mad about getting kicked out of other complexes. 

May said they don't believe Ewing is linked to any other additional fires in the area beyond the three he's accused of initiating.

"If you set a fire here in Fort Worth we’re gonna hunt you down, we’ll find you and we’ll prosecute you," May said.

Cory Tornik, a resident at the Flats on Mill apartment complex, where Friday's fire occurred, said he was in his unit when he heard popping sounds from the unit behind him and noticed smoke in his home.

"I saw smoke in my kitchen and immediately ran," Tornik said. "I'm just shocked, anxious, nervous and stressed… everything's gone."

He was booked into the Tarrant County Jail and later released, according to jail records. 

More Texas headlines:

Before You Leave, Check This Out