Balcony Fire Leads To Charges Against Arlington Man: Fire Officials

ARLINGTON, VA — An Arlington man was arrested in connection with a small fire on the balcony of a residence on Columbia Pike in Arlington, officials said Monday.

Sami Kasawat, 33, was charged with one count of arson and one count of endangering other people or property. He is being held without bond at the Arlington County Detention Facility, according to the Arlington County Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Office.

Shortly before 7 a.m. last Friday, the Arlington County Fire Department was dispatched to the 5500 block of Columbia Pike for a reported structure fire. Crews found a small fire on the balcony that was quickly extinguished, officials said.

Investigators recovered evidence indicating the fire had been intentionally set. Kasawat, a resident of the building, was taken into custody at the scene without incident, according to fire officials.