Seattle police arrested a 46-year-old man for arson following a West Seattle encampment fire across the street from the Southwest police precinct.
At about 7:30 a.m., a patrol officer witnessed the man exit his vehicle, a white 2006 Ford Econoline van, with a gas can and walk to an encampment across the street from the precinct. He returned to his vehicle a short time later, and the encampment became engulfed in flames.
According to the police report, the officer saw him “walking out of the brush with smoke and fire trailing him.”
The Seattle Fire Department extinguished the flames. No injuries or fatalities occurred.
Police located the man driving the van at Delridge Way Southwest and Southwest Orchard Street and arrested him. Officers booked him into the King County Jail for Arson 1st Degree.
The Arson-Bomb Squad (ABS) responded to the scene for processing and evidence collection. ABS detectives will be assigned to this case for follow-up investigation.
Incident Number: 2025-202354