De Soto Police arrested a 15-year-old De Soto boy suspected of starting a fire at a house in the 1600 block of Koch Drive.
At 4:30 a.m. April 26, De Soto Police got a call about the fire, Chief Rick Draper reported.
When police and firefighters arrived on the scene, the one-and-one-half-story house was engulfed in flames, De Soto Fire Chief Craig Block said.
“It was about three-quarters involved. It was rolling pretty good,” he said.
Police officers determined that no one was in the house and the De Soto Fire Department worked to extinguish the flames, Draper reported.
The fire was brought under control at 5:15 a.m. and was extinguished at about 6 a.m., Block said.
“The house was a total loss,” he said.
Later the same day, De Soto Police received information about the 15-year-old, who reportedly was staying in the vacant home. After detectives investigated the matter, they arrested the teenager and then turned him and the case over to juvenile authorities in Hillsboro.
Draper said third-degree arson charges would be sought against the teen.
Firefighters from the De Soto Rural, Hematite and Hillsboro fire protection districts and emergency medical personnel from the Valle Ambulance District helped with the call for the house fire.