LAWTON, Okla_A suspicious fire over the weekend at a mental health facility in Lawton has the fire marshal's office looking for an arsonist. The fire broke out around 10:30 Saturday night at the Jim Taliaferro Mental Health Facility. The fire started in a closet in an occupied wing of the outpatient area. Firefighters were able to put out the flames while residents and staff were forced to evacuate.
The fire marshal's office said they do have a person of interest. The fire was started with a stack of papers in a closet in the southwest side of the facility. Fire officials said this fire was not very large but it could have escalated quickly and spread to rest of the facility.
The Lawton Fire Marshal's Office said the fact that the fire at Taliaferro was small doesn't diminish the danger patients and staff were facing.
"Fire grows at an exponential rate. Once flame is achieved, it can double and triple in size in seconds."
Lawton Fire Investigator Chris Woodall said fortunately the fire started in one of the less crowded areas of the facility.
"There are parts of the building that do have people in there. There are some in-patient facility at Taliaferro. Being that this wing is connected to the building this is considered first-degree arson."
Woodall said residents and staff who were in the wing this weekend are extremely lucky that this facility is equipped with the proper fire protection devices. It helped alert the staff that there was a fire in the first place and firefighters were able to get there in time to put the fire out before it spread.
Woodall has handled a myriad of fire investigations in his career but said this one is unique.
"Being in the line of work that these folks are in, you come across some folks with some problems. You don't necessarily see arson a lot in a medical facility."
He said right now his department is not sure why the alleged arsonist started this fire but they're working to find out.
"Arson is a very intriguing crime when it comes to motives. There could be a lot of different things in a person's background when it comes to starting this fire. Some people do it out of excitement. Some people do it for revenge."
The Communications Director of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, which oversees the Taliaffero facility couldn't say much about the fire but said they are working with investigators to get this case solved.
The fire marshal's office said the person who started the fire is facing a stiff punishment. First-degree arson carries up to 35 years in jail and a $25,000 fine. The person could also face breaking and entering and burglary charges.
