A Basile man was arrested by the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal’s office on Friday after he allegedly admitted to setting set his family’s home on fire.
The Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted by the Basile Fire Department to investigate the origins of a house fire that occurred in the 1100 block of South Hillman Street in Basile on September 5.
After an investigation, officials determined that the fire began when a chair in the home caught on fire. The State Fire Marshal’s Office says 42-year-old Cornelius Jenkins, who lived alone in the home, allegedly confessed to setting the chair on fire while being transported to the hospital. Jenkins also allegedly confessed to the crime during an interview with investigators.
After a short hospital stay, Jenkins was arrested and booked into the Evangeline Parish Jail on Friday, September 14, on one count of Simple Arson.
Investigators say that Jenkins owned the home jointly with his family.
