Campus-area apartment torched by arsonist

Tucson Fire Department Capt. Brian Delfs said the two-alarm fire started at 7:25 a.m. in the Arizona Commons, 931 N. Euclid Ave., "completely gutting" one apartment and two floors of the building.

Delfs said the firefighter was treated at University Medical Center for minor burns on his knee and released.

The fire displaced two people, who will be assisted by the American Red Cross, and caused $65,000 damage to the building and $15,000 to contents, Delfs said.

Fire Department investigators determined the fire was started by an arsonist, Delfs said. The Tucson Police Department will conduct a criminal investigation, he said.

Delfs would not say how the fire was started or where it began because of the ongoing investigation.

Eric Buskirk, a political science sophomore who lives above the burnt-out apartment, said the occupant of the torched room pounded on his door and woke him up while warning neighbors.

Buskirk said he then looked out of his window and saw smoke rising from below and firefighters arriving on scene.

"A fireman told me if the fire department had not gotten there, our place would have gone up in flames in about three minutes," Buskirk said.

Bobby Bodrogligeti, a biochemistry junior who lives near the charred apartment, said he woke up to fire trucks' sirens and saw smoke billowing from the unit.

"I thought our apartment was on fire," Bodrogligeti said. "One of the guys was pounding on doors. I didn't know what was going on."

Other Arizona Commons residents said they heard an argument about 4 a.m. yesterday morning between one of the occupants and his girlfriend, which quieted down well before the fire started. The names of the apartment's occupants were not available from officials yesterday.