Man Charged With Aggravated Arson After Fires at Southwest Columbus Apartment Building
Authorities allege a resident ignited stovetop papers and blocked exit routes as crews evacuated the Harrisburg Pike complex.
A 32-year-old man faces felony aggravated arson charges after authorities accused him of igniting multiple fires inside an occupied southwest Columbus apartment complex and blocking residents from escaping. Columbus Division of Fire crews responded around 3 p.m. Tuesday to the 1600 block of Harrisburg Pike following a report of a structure fire.
Firefighters forced entry into Apartment 2K, identified in court records as the residence of Oyintarimobowei David Osuobeni, and found burning paperwork on top of a kitchen stove with the burner set to "on," according to Franklin County Municipal Court filings. Responding emergency crews discovered two additional fires along residential escape paths: one burning in the building's front lobby and another in a second-floor stairway leading to an exit.
According to court records, the property manager told investigators she witnessed Osuobeni holding a lighter, moving tables to barricade the front lobby doors, and obstructing residents who were attempting to evacuate, investigators wrote in charging documents. The manager stated that no other person was in the immediate area where the lobby fire started.
The building's interior sprinkler system activated and helped contain the flames before they could spread further through the structure, fire officials said. Columbus Division of Fire Lt. Nick Davis said emergency crews spent roughly an hour and a half to two hours resolving the incident, a duration driven partly by the logistical challenge of evacuating residents from the building.
First responders and occupants underwent on-site medical evaluations following the evacuations. Davis said 11 Columbus police officers were evaluated at the scene for smoke and chemical inhalation after helping evacuate residents and searching the structure. Multiple civilian occupants were also evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation, according to court documents and fire officials. Emergency personnel reported no injuries.
Osuobeni was arrested and charged with aggravated arson. He was scheduled for an initial arraignment Wednesday morning in courtroom 4D of Franklin County Municipal Court. Under Ohio law, all criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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Supporting evidence (3)
Columbus Division of Fire crews responded around 3 p.m.
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Columbus fire crews were called to an apartment building in the 1600 block of Harrisburg Pike around 3 p.m. on a report of a structure fire.
The building's interior sprinkler system activated and helped contain the flames before they could spread further through the structure, fire officials said.
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It took crews roughly an hour and a half to two hours to resolve the situation, in part because of the number of residents who had to be evacuated, Davis said. He added the building's sprinkler system activated and helped to contain the fire.
Davis said 11 Columbus police officers were evaluated at the scene for smoke and chemical inhalation after helping evacuate residents and searching the structure.
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Lt. Nick Davis told 10TV that 11 Columbus police officers were evaluated at the scene for smoke and chemical inhalation after helping evacuate residents.
Supporting evidence (3)
Firefighters forced entry into Apartment 2K, identified in court records as the residence of Oyintarimobowei David Osuobeni, and found burning paperwork on top of a kitchen stove with the burner set to "on," according to Franklin County Municipal Court filings.
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Columbus Fire forced entry into Apartment 2K, which court documents identified as the residence of Oyintarimobowei David Osuobeni, and discovered a fire on top of the kitchen stove, with paperwork burning and the stove controls left in the on position.
According to court records, the property manager told investigators she witnessed Osuobeni holding a lighter, moving tables to barricade the front lobby doors, and obstructing residents who were attempting to evacuate, investigators wrote in charging documents.
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According to court documents, the property manager told investigators she saw Osuobeni holding a lighter, moving tables to barricade the front lobby doors, and interfering with occupants who were trying to evacuate.
He was scheduled for an initial arraignment Wednesday morning in courtroom 4D of Franklin County Municipal Court.
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Osuobeni was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at 9 a.m. in courtroom 4D on the aggravated arson charge.