Police: One in custody after string of suspected arsons in Auburn



AUBURN, Wash. -- Auburn police said Thursday afternoon they had taken one person into custody who could be responsible for more than a dozen arsons.



Earlier in the day, police said they were investigating two fires within 15 minutes of each other in the same neighborhood hit hard by a string of arsons last year.

Officials say a 12-foot boat was set on fire around 1 a.m. in the 3500 block of I St. NE and crews were able to quickly put that out.



Less than a mile away, firefighters were called to the 1200 block of 43rd St NE where a house was ablaze. The smoke detector woke up the family. Several adults and a child escaped safely.



Firefighters, police, arson investigators and K9s were all at the scene. Authorities searched the nearby woods for a suspect, but nobody was found.

Police say 17 fires have been set damaging homes, carports and boats -- mainly in the north end of Auburn.

Detectives believe those earlier fires were set by the same person. It's still unclear if these two latest fires are related.