Duluth landlord charged with setting fire to building he managed

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - A Duluth man has been charged with setting the apartment building he was a landlord to on fire last week.

Travis Lee Carlson, 37, of Duluth has been charged with first-degree arson in Thursday’s West 4th Street fire.

On Thursday, May 18 at approximately 4:02 a.m. officers were called to 2402 West 4th Street in Duluth for a fire that had started in the upstairs of an apartment.

According to court documents, when first responders arrived they could see the upstairs apartment in flames with “We Didn’t Start the Fire” blaring from the upstairs apartment.

The downstairs tenant reported that around 3 a.m. or 3:30 a.m., he woke up to his landlord, Carlson, smashing glass and breaking things.

He stated the sounds went on for about 20 minutes.

Then, Carlson knocked on the downstairs tenant’s apartment and told him, “The house is on fire.”

A neighbor also called 911 to report that around 3:30 a.m. he saw Carlson wearing a helmet and smashing his own windows.

The neighbor also explained he then saw a flash like a fireball come from the upstairs apartment.

Fire investigation revealed a drilled hole in the gas tank of Carlson’s truck with a drill laying nearby.

It is stated there were lids to gas cans laying on the ground by the truck.

The electrical panel in the basement of the house had several wires pulled out as well.

In addition, there were numerous areas in the upstairs apartment that had green liquid lines from a burned accelerant staining several pieces of furniture, flooring, and walls.

Authorities say Carlson was found the next day with fresh burn injuries to his legs and arms.

Carlson is facing up to 20 years in prison for first-degree arson.

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