A Portland man has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson after a car fire spread to a nearby property last Saturday. The incident, which took place on the 15000 block of SW Sundew Drive, was quickly attended by deputies following alerts from concerned citizens, as reported by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Upon arrival, responding officers found a 1997 Toyota Camry fully ablaze—the vehicle, belonging to 19-year-old Ethan Mills of Portland, was not just on fire, officers noticed it had quickly spread to a neighboring tree, as per the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Flames were reportedly sending embers dangerously toward an occupied home before Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue personnel managed to extinguish the fire, averting a larger catastrophe.

Officials investigating the blaze found that the fire was set intentionally after Mills had broken the car's windows. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office report, Mills was located in the vicinity and was promptly detained and taken into custody.