A Carol Stream man has been accused of deliberately setting fire to his own home, resulting in an explosion that caused extensive damage to neighboring properties. Eric Neuman, 52, faces several felony charges, including aggravated arson and criminal damage to property, as confirmed by the DuPage County prosecutors. According to Chicago Sun-Times, the alleged incident took place on Hemlock Lane and led to Neuman's arrest on Saturday.
Emergency services swiftly responded to reports of a fire and subsequent explosion early Saturday morning. In a shocking revelation, it is alleged that Neuman strategically placed approximately six containers of gasoline, totaling around 40 gallons, within his residence and positioned two propane tanks in a rental car parked in his garage. The prosecution claims Neuman spilled gasoline in the garage, ignited a flare, and threw it inside, before fleeing the scene in another vehicle. This information was reported by the ABC 7 Chicago.
The suspect was apprehended later that morning in Mahomet, Illinois, after a chase with law enforcement that began in the Bloomington-Morton area. He now faces two counts of aggravated arson, one count of arson, and one count of criminal damage to property. Following his court appearance on Sunday, a judge has ordered Neuman to remain incarcerated pending trial.
Apparently motivated by a domestic dispute, Neuman allegedly sent threatening messages to his wife prior to the incident, detailing his plan to trigger an explosion. He texted, "That morning, I'll remove gas lines from the oven and dryer, after flooding the house with 15 gallons of gasoline. I'll also remove any flow restriction devices on said as lines. I'll turn the fireplace gas valve on full-tilt and then exit the house. It takes an oxygen to natural gas ratio of 5 - 15% to cause an explosion. When I finally ignite the trail of gasoline that leads to the backyard, I'm pretty sure I'll have." These chilling details, shared by ABC 7 Chicago, paint a disturbing picture of premeditation.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin conveyed the gravity of Neuman's alleged actions, stating, "Intentionally setting fire to a residence in the early morning hours while the community is asleep, as alleged in this case, not only endangers the lives of countless residents, but also the lives of our first responders answering the call." He emphasized that such dangerous behavior "will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force of the law." These remarks highlight the community's relief that no one was injured as a consequence of Neuman's actions, as obtained by ABC 7 Chicago. Neuman's next court appearance is scheduled for September 22.
