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MIDVALE — A woman who allegedly lit bundles of straw on fire near a TRAX station was arrested early Wednesday.
Amber Russell Barlow, 32, was arrested for investigation of arson, resulting in $1,500 to $5,000 damage.
A witness told police they saw Barlow use a lighter to ignite several bundles sitting on long-bed trailers at the TRAX station at 95 W. Center (7720 South) about 4 a.m. The straw was being used by the Utah Department of Transportation as sound barriers while doing construction in the area.
NOW: @FireAuthority still cleaning up the suspicious hay fire in Midvale at the 7800 S. State Street TRAX station. pic.twitter.com/fRz6s10tFm — Shara Park (@KSLSharaPark) August 19, 2015
About 1 trailer loads of straw were burned, according to the Unified Fire Authority. Barlow told police she was looking for a cigarette on the ground and was using her lighter to illuminate the area, and that's how the fire started, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
However, a witness told police that Barlow ignited points of the straw on the trailer every 5 to 8 feet, the jail report stated.
A security guard detained Barlow until Unified police arrived to arrest her.
Contributing: Shara Park
