A man is accused of setting fire to his own apartment while another person was inside, according to a criminal complaint filed in Brown County.
Chad Allen Chaney, 53, faces two felony charges: first-degree arson of a dwelling and first-degree arson of a building knowing a person is present. The charges were filed October 26 in Brown County District Court.
According to the complaint, a witness contacted the New Ulm Police Department on October 21 and reported that Chaney had been talking about making bombs. Later that day, investigators met with New Ulm Fire Department officials, who described responding to a fire reported earlier that morning in an apartment owned by Chaney.
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Fire officials said the fire started in a corner of Chaney’s living room next to a window. Chaney told them he believed the fire was electrical and possibly caused by a fan in the window. Investigators examined the fan and found it was mostly undamaged, with only some melting on the plastic grill. The cord and power strip were intact and showed no signs of overheating or melting. Fire officials tested the fan and found it operated normally, with no sparks or signs of heating up.
Investigators reviewed body camera footage from an officer who responded to the fire and saw Chaney’s vehicle parked in front of the apartment entrance. Further investigation showed the vehicle had been parked there since about 8:12 p.m. the previous evening and had not moved before law enforcement arrived after the 911 call.
A deputy state fire marshal later requested a search warrant for Chaney’s apartment. During the search, the fire marshal took photographs and collected a sample to test for accelerants. The fire marshal ruled out electrical causes, stating the plug and power strip had no signs of overheating or melting and the fan worked properly. The fire marshal concluded there was nothing in the area that could have caused the fire accidentally and determined it was intentionally set.
Chaney admitted to knowing a woman was living in the apartment at the time of the fire and said he went to get her out after calling 911. Investigators confirmed the apartment was occupied.
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