BLYN — A Blyn man has been arrested for investigation of arson following a Thursday night fire at the Sellin’ Style car dealership at 251 Old Blyn Highway.
No injuries were reported in the fire.
Jose Noe Torres, 57, of Blyn, was booked into the Clallam County jail at 1:39 a.m. today (Friday) for investigation of second-degree arson.
The case is being referred to the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a formal charging decision.
Deputies said Torres was living inside a travel trailer in one of the buildings on the property.
The business was previously linked to a methamphetamine ring. Its owner, Timothy P. Smith, 31, of Sequim, who was sentenced in April to 11 years in federal prison.
The fire was reported to emergency dispatchers at about 10:20 p.m. Thursday by a passersby on the highway.
Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters found the center section of the commercial garage building engulfed in flames.
“The fire was fully involved when they got there,” said District 3 Chief Steve Vogel.
“There are four garages. The business is closed, but [Torres] had his trailer parked inside one of the bays and the trailer caught fire.
“Those old trailers, they burn up really fast. It got the whole interior of two of the garages fully involved.”
Fire District personnel immediately began efforts to extinguish the blaze.
“They did a quick stop on it,” Vogel said. “They kept it from spreading [to other buildings].”
Witnesses gave deputies information that indicated Torres had intentionally set the fire, said Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies later found evidence supporting arson, King said, although he did not elaborate.
Torres reportedly had said he was upset with the property’s landlord, and “would burn everything down,” King said.
About 24 firefighters with Clallam County Fire District 3 responded to the structure fire.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
