Homeless man charged with arson after allegedly starting fire in Strip motel
A homeless man suspected of setting fire to a Strip motel room mattress early Wednesday morning has been charged with arson, a fire official said.
Metropolitan Police Department officers who were responding to a disturbance call just before midnight found James E. Williams, 27, in a room at the Fun City Motel, 2233 Las Vegas Blvd. South, standing next to a burning mattress and holding a lighter, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
Firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. There were no other damages to the motel room, and no injuries were reported.
Paramedics examined Williams for smoke inhalation and released him to police, who transported him to the Clark County Detention Center. Williams was charged with one count of first-degree arson, Szymanski said; his hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning.
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