A late-night fire on Saturday destroyed a small outbuilding that had been converted into a tiny home, with its occupants telling authorities it may have been deliberately set.
At approximately 11:35 p.m. firefighters responded to the fire on Darnell Road. A shed was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived.
One of the occupants told deputies that she and her husband had been living in the shed and had converted it into a livable tiny home. She also alleged that her husband may have intentionally set the fire.
Deputies located the husband at a neighboring residence. According to the report, he initially claimed he had accidentally started the fire by flicking a cigarette into a bathroom trash can.
Fire investigators Lt. David Love and Deputy Bryan Shelton were called to the scene at the request of Sunnyside Volunteer Fire Department.
Investigators found significant fire damage concentrated around the front and left sides of the structure, particularly near the front door and porch. However, lighter fire damage was found in the area near where the husband claimed the fire started.
The couple had reportedly been arguing recently, with the wife saying she had left the home, only to be informed a short time later that it was on fire.
Additional damage was reported to another structure on the property. Siding on an adjacent house melted due to the heat. While the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, investigators believe the origin was near the front porch.
