Man Charged With Arson In Blaine House Fire
BLAINE, Minn. (WCCO) - A 23-year-old man is accused of arson after he allegedly set a Blaine home on fire.
Michael Joseph Bourgeois faces two counts of arson in the Wednesday incident.
According to the criminal complaint, two witnesses were standing in the backyard of a home on the 10700 block of Lincoln Street when they saw a man, later identified as Bourgeois, approach the home next door and throw something at it, lighting it on fire.
One witness chased the man, while another called 911 and attempted to find a garden hose to extinguish the fire. That witness noticed Bourgeois place a jug filled with "unknown liquid" on the windowsill and light it on fire, the complaint states.
Police arrived in the area and arrested Bourgeois at the scene. A lighter was found in the backyard.
Arson charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
