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Man accused of arson in Orlando high rise
Residents in a downtown Orlando high-rise are learning more details about a fire in their building that turned out to be arson. Some residents in the Paramount on Lake Eola woke up to a fire alarm in the early morning hours of July 5th, not long after the July 4th festivities at Lake Eola.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Residents in a downtown Orlando high-rise are learning more details about a fire in their building that turned out to be arson.
"An alarm going off, it was really late at night," said Harry Goldenberg, who lives in the building.
Some residents in the Paramount on Lake Eola woke up to a fire alarm in the early morning hours of July 5, not long after the Fourth of July festivities at Lake Eola.
Investigators say firefighters were slowed down at first by a mattress leaning against the front door. They say the oven was filled with trash, and turned on the highest setting. Smoke detectors were broken or removed, sprinklers were covered, vents were blocked, and incense sticks were stuck in electrical outlets according to the report.
"It sounds like a scary situation, somebody who’s having a tough time with something for sure," Goldenberg said.
"I saw him often in the elevator, and he was pretty nice and somewhat normal I guess, didn’t say a lot, but I didn’t expect him to try to bomb the place," said another neighbor who didn't want to be named.
Police arrested Scott Weber on a charge of arson. He was served an eviction notice last month. A couple of days before the fire, neighbors say police shut down the street while Weber threw papers off his balcony.
On the day of the fire, the apartment building emailed residents saying there was a fire with minimal damage and no injuries, but no mention of arson.
"I feel pretty secure in this building," said Mike McLin. "Feel pretty secure living downtown in any of these high rises really, but you never know. You never know who could be living next door I guess."
Weber is being held in jail for an arson charge. Police say he has been arrested in the past and has a history of mental illness.