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PROVO — A Provo woman has been arrested and accused of starting two fires intentionally near her home.
Now, police are looking at whether Calliope Jacox Mlynar, 19, can be linked to as many as 10 recent arson-started fires all in the same area.
Mlynar was arrested Tuesday for investigation of two counts of aggravated arson. She lives near 350 North and 1100 East, according to a police booking affidavit.
On Christmas Day, just before 5 a.m., a fire was reported in the laundry room at the Centennial Apartments complex, 380 N. 1020 East. The fire caused minimal damage and was easily extinguished, the affidavit notes. But an investigator determined the fire was intentionally started with a handheld lighter.
About 6:15 a.m, another fire was reported at a duplex at 345 N. 1080 East.
"This duplex is immediately outside the Centennial Apartments complex and is owned by the Centennial Apartments as well. This fire was started on the exterior of the building," the affidavit states. "The second fire caused considerably heavier damage. It burned through the exterior wall then spread inside the apartment walls upward towards the second level."
All of the occupants of the duplex were out of town for the holidays at the time, police said. Investigators believe both fires were started about the same time, but the second fire wasn't reported until later because a water line slowed its progress.
Provo Fire Marshal and Battalion Chief Lynn Schofield said this is still an active investigation, dealing with not just these fires.
The affidavit states there are 10 open arson investigations for occupied buildings within a five-block radius of Centennial Apartments since Aug. 5.
Other recent incidents include a Nov. 24 case when crews responded to two fires reported just one minute apart from each other, both located two blocks from the Centennial Apartments, according to the affidavit. Then on Dec. 5, a door of one of the units at the Centennial Apartments was set on fire and a tenant burned her hand opening it.
"Quite frankly, these have been very dangerous fires," Schofield said. "The two apartments for which the charges have been filed occurred in a recreation room in an occupied apartment building while people were asleep."
The Provo Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the FBI are assisting in the investigation.
"We are going to follow the evidence and go where the evidence takes us," Schofield said.
After the complex's management reported some suspicious behavior from Mlynar, a search warrant was served on her apartment on Tuesday.
"A lighter, as well as a burned shirt were located. Mlynar was transported to the Provo police for an interview. She invoked her Miranda right to an attorney and was not questioned further," Provo police wrote in their affidavit after placing her under arrest following the interview.
Detectives also noted that "Mlynar is also the suspect in the other fires that remain under investigation. With at least one person injured and several others displaced."
In early December, Kira Myers had to be evacuated from another suspicious fire at Centennial Apartments.
"It was in the stairway behind us," Myers said. "The police officers came into our apartment and came and evacuated us in the middle of the night."
The doormat, door and doorframe of a neighboring apartment was on fire. The four people inside got out; one suffered a burned hand.
"The door just was completely black," Myers said.
That fire is still under investigation, but Myers is relieved to hear about the arrest for the other two fires at her complex.
"Pretty crazy," she said. "I didn't think it would be anyone from around here."
