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Sam Penrod ReportingResidents in a Provo apartment building had to find somewhere else to sleep Sunday night because of a fire. Police believe the fire may have been set on purpose, and have a man in custody.
Tenants there say the man police were looking for has caused problems before at the complex. He's an evacuee from Louisiana. One neighbor says he left about five minutes before the fire started.
About 10:00 Sunday night, Herbert Landry actually walked up to the KSL crew on the scene of the fire and asked what was going on. A policeman recognized him and took him into custody. Landry has been charged with aggravated arson.
Officials evacuated 22 units from the Shadowood Apartment Complex. Damage is estimated between 50 and 100 thousand dollars.
Coy Porter, Provo City Fire Department: "There's lots of damage unseen from front."
Britney Mendle and her friend lived in one of the units that were evacuated..
Britney Mendle: "Both of us attend school, can't go to school, don't have our books or anything."
She isn't surprised that police suspect her neighbor started it.
Coy Porter, Provo City Fire Department: "We are calling this suspicious, appears the room of origin, the occupant was recently evicted."
Britney Mendle: "He's caused a lot of problems to the complex, and police around."
The owner of the building agrees. He says of the five Louisiana evacuees that live here, one has been a problem.
Tom Felt, Owner: "Overall, I think we've had good luck, this gentleman seemed to be troubled, he was a challenge."
Red Cross helped folks who had no where to sleep. Mendle says she and her friend will stay with family and they may never come back to live here again.
Britney Mendle: "We're pretty much thinking we'll have to find somewhere else to live, because the damage has got to be extensive."
Landry had been released from the Utah County Jail on Friday after spending ten days there on drug charges.
