A 28-year-old man was arrested in southeast Austin last week for allegedly setting a fire inside an apartment, risking the lives and safety of those residing there. The Austin Fire Department reported on Tuesday that they, alongside Austin Police Department officers, responded to an incident at the 1700 block of Burton Drive where a man purposefully lit a fire inside a residence. Detecting a burnt odor upon arrival, the officers found evidence of singed paper and called the AFD's Arson Division for assistance. KVUE detailed that the fire caused an estimated $500 in damages, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The suspect, identified as Carlos Humberto Herrera-Anariba, was confronted by officers after a witness—and apparently putting paper in the wall, according to his sister-in-law who initially contacted 911—confirmed him trying to ignite a blaze within the apartment walls. AFD personnel removed parts of the drywall during their investigation, uncovering burnt toilet paper concealed inside, providing sufficient evidence for his arrest on arson charges. "AFD investigators responded and noticed a growing burning smell at the apartment," KVUE reported.
Herrera-Anariba, who also appeared to have burned a couch cushion separately, admitted to fire investigators that he had lit the toilet paper on fire in reaction to something he believed had run by him. CBS Austin offered insight from the arrest affidavit, where Herrera-Anariba is said to have inserted the lit paper and an unlit cigarette into the wall. His brother told investigators that although Herrera-Anariba had previously threatened such acts, he seemed to have been improving from a past filled with delusions.
Now facing a first-degree felony arson charge, Herrera-Anariba has been booked into Travis County Jail with his bond set at $15,000. The ongoing investigation is led by the Austin Fire Department Arson Division. According to the arrest affidavit, "Herrera-Anariba had previously threatened to burn down the apartment but had never acted on those threats before," indicating a history of mental instability that may factor into the case CBS Austin reported.
