WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — A 45-year-old man has been charged in connection to a fire at a four-unit townhome in White Bear Lake Sunday night.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court Tuesday, Christian Dahm of White Bear Lake faces one felony count of negligent fires, causing great bodily harm.
According to court documents, Dahm claimed he was in the garage working on his fishing pole over the hood of a car when the incident occurred. He told prosecutors he had been using an oil pan and then lit a cigarette with a torch, telling investigators, "All of a sudden, there was a fire."
However, the complaint alleges Dahm's father told responding officers that his son "started the fire." He went on to tell authorities that he and his wife had gone to check on their son before going to bed because they were worried he was "high on methamphetamine." His father continued, saying he went to open the garage door — his wife right behind him — when "everything exploded." Dahm was then allegedly seen by his father running out of the garage.
Officials said Dahm's mother had to be pulled from the home by firefighters before she was taken to the hospital with "critical injuries." As of Tuesday, she remained on a ventilator in the facility's burn unit.
At the time of the fire Sunday night, the White Bear Lake Police Department said first responders arrived to find one townhome on the 2600 block of Aspen Ct. fully engulfed in flames, and that the fire had begun to spread to another unit.
Both White Bear Lake police and the State Fire Marshal are investigating to determine what caused the fire.
Dahm's first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17. Prosecutors say additional charges may be added.
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