A fire broke out in a second-floor bathroom of a Saint Paul apartment complex, sending smoke through the building and prompting residents to evacuate, according to charges.
Demarqus Lewis-Marquise Smith, 28, of Saint Paul, faces a charge of first-degree arson for starting the fire.
According to the complaint, Saint Paul police and fire crews responded to the apartment complex in Ramsey County on Sunday, July 5, 2026. Officers arrived to find the fire department already on scene and a fire burning on the second floor. A resident told officers he was inside a third-floor room when the fire alarm sounded. Another resident called the property manager, who told them to leave the premises.
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The resident ran downstairs and saw smoke coming from a bathroom on the second floor. Another man in the building reported smelling smoke in his unit and went to investigate. He found smoke and flames coming from a shared bathroom and kicked the door several times to get it open. When he finally got the door open, a naked man inside the bathroom slammed it shut from the inside, then ran out of the bathroom and out of the building.
Officers came across a man seated inside a medical rig outside the building. He was later identified as Demarqus Lewis-Marquise Smith. According to the complaint, Smith admitted to starting the fire. Officers transported him to Regions Hospital, where medical staff sedated him due to his behavior.
Investigators continued to interview residents at the scene. One resident reported seeing Smith run from the building, knock on doors across the street and then collapse in the street. Another resident recognized Smith as the person transported to the hospital by fire personnel. Officers also obtained surveillance video of the incident.
Smith is charged with first-degree arson of a dwelling.
The charge was filed Tuesday, September 29, in Ramsey County District Court.
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Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; Ramsey County Community Corrections operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
