A Belgrade man is facing a first-degree arson charge after his Crow River Township home burned to the ground early Saturday morning, with investigators saying they found propane and butane tanks stashed inside bedrooms and containers nearby that looked and smelled like gasoline. Wayne Kyle Wold, 38, was the home's only occupant, and deputies say they found him at a nearby property after the fire.
Stearns County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the structure fire at about 4:41 a.m. on Nov. 7, according to mn crime. By the time deputies arrived, the house had already burned to the ground but was still on fire, and a sign in the driveway read “armed and dangerous.”
Witnesses told investigators that Wold's behavior had changed in the days before the fire. The complaint says they described him throwing property into the yard, breaking his cell phone and appearing agitated and angry.
Threats to Family, but Not the House
Witnesses also told investigators that Wold had threatened family members. They said he had not specifically threatened to burn down the house, according to the complaint.
The Fire Marshal's preliminary investigation found propane and butane tanks in bedrooms inside the burned home. Witnesses said the tanks had not been there the previous day and that larger propane cylinders had not been placed around the home's exterior.
Investigators also found cleaning-concentrate containers near the home holding material that looked and smelled like gasoline. The complaint says burn patterns suggested an accelerant may have been used; the fire and arson investigation is ongoing.
Soot on His Hands, Clothing Collected as Evidence
Deputies arrested Wold after the fire and collected his clothing to test for accelerants or chemicals. The complaint says they saw a black substance consistent with soot on his hands.
Minnesota law defines first-degree arson of a dwelling as unlawfully and intentionally destroying or damaging a dwelling by fire or explosives. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both, under Minnesota state law.
Stearns County, the largest county in central Minnesota and home to Saint Cloud, handles felony prosecutions like this one through the Seventh Judicial District, based at the Stearns County Courthouse in Saint Cloud.
A Similar Case Already Working Through the Same County
This isn't the only arson case moving through Stearns County courts this year. In a separate case, 40-year-old Jamie Morin of Wahpeton, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to first-degree arson of a dwelling after a mental illness exam found her competent to face the charge, according to WJON. In that case, a deputy was called to a home along 248th Avenue in Krain Township on April 6 and arrived to find it fully engulfed in flames, the station reported.
What fire investigation data can show
The Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division says fire investigations generally begin by gathering preliminary information from witnesses, first responders and other sources. This is a general description and does not establish which methods or agency roles applied in Wold's case, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division. The division's 2012 report counted 1,328 identified incendiary fires statewide, 18% more than in 2011. That historical figure does not establish a current trend or explain the Crow River Township fire, according to the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division.
No court outcome has been reported for Wold, and the fire and arson investigation into the Crow River Township blaze remains ongoing.
