HOUSTON – A 54-year-old man was charged with arson Friday in connection with an apartment fire in west Houston.
Fire officials said an argument between Jose Alvarenge-Guerra and his teenage son may have been what led to the fire at the Bateswood Manor Apartments in the 700 block of Bateswood Drive, Thursday.
According to the Houston Fire Department, firefighters were called to the complex around 11 p.m. Firefighters said they saw black smoke and heavy fire coming from the second floor of an apartment building.
All of the residents were safely evacuated, officials said, and no one was injured.
Investigators said three units had heavy fire damage, and three other units were damaged by water.
Three to four families were displaced by the fire, and the Red Cross is assisting them with relocation, HFD officials said.
Video showed Alvarenge-Guerra in the back of a police car as firefighters put out the flames.
He is being held at the Houston Police Department Southeast Jail.