Police in Stockton announced Tuesday an arrest in connection to the start of the Jacob City Fire, which has burned more than 4,000 acres as of Tuesday. The fire started on Saturday, July 9. (Matt McCarty)
STOCKTON, Utah — Police in Stockton announced Tuesday an arrest in connection to the start of Jacob City Fire, that ignited over the weekend.
In a Facebook posting, police say Gary Carr was taken into custody in suspicion of reckless burning and reckless endangerment.
Carr called emergency personnel on Saturday afternoon to report that his generator had started on fire. He reported the fire had spread to nearby trees. Despite the efforts of emergency personnel, the fire quickly got out of control.
Currently, the fire has burned nearly 4,100 acres.
Through an investigation by state and local officials, it was determined that burn patterns and other pieces of evidence didn’t match up with what Carr had originally told officials.
Earlier this week, Stockton police obtained a search warrant for Carr’s generator and trailer. Police then interviewed witnesses, first responders and anyone else who was in the area at the time the fire started on Saturday.
On Tuesday, investigators from the Bureau of Land Management and Stockton Police interviewed Carr. He admitted that he had plugged a circular saw into a refurbished generator that had recently been purchased.
According to police, the cord of the saw had been cut. It had then been taped and spliced back together.
As it was being used, police say, the saw increased in heat, so Carr put it down on the back of the RV. However, it was next to a sealed gas can.
At the time, police say it was 103 degrees outside. Police further state that Carr proceeded to plug the RV into the generator. He then went inside the RV.
Roughly 10 minutes later, police say Carr reported hearing a loud pop, which was followed by a hissing sound. He rushed outside to discover the generator and nearby trees were on fire.
After an effort to put out the fire with water was unsuccessful, Carr then tried to dig the fire out, police say. In his efforts, however, police say that he tossed burning items such as sage under the RV.
According to police, there was another five-gallon gas tank under the RV, causing it to catch on fire.
Police say Carr was booked into the Tooele County Jail.
As of Tuesday morning, according to Utah Fire Info, the containment of the fire is at 19% and has burned 4,094 acres.
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