Man Jailed On Arson Charges Following Soap Lake Fire

A Grant County man is behind bars after police say he intentionally set a fire near Soap Lake on Wednesday night.

Officials with Grant County Fire District No. 7 say crews responded at around 7:45 p.m. to reports of a brush fire in the 2200 block of Road 20 Northeast.

After arriving at the scene, firefighters discovered the blaze had already been fully extinguished by a nearby resident and later learned the fire originated from a set of coveralls at the side of the road.

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Surveillance video from the area confirmed the coveralls had been intentionally set ablaze by a man who removed them shortly before the fire broke out.

Fire officials notified police, and while waiting for them to arrive at the scene, observed the suspect - 26-year-old David N. Teslyuk, leaving a nearby residence on a bicycle.

Teslyuk was located by officers a short time later and placed under arrest for suspicion of arson.

Fire investigators say the blaze could have easily been much worse considering the dry conditions and brisk winds at the time, as well as the fire's proximity to several homes.

The case remains under investigation, and Teslyuk is currently being lodged in the Grant County Jail.