Tulsa Fire Department Arrests Serial Arson Suspect

A man accused of setting more than a dozen fires in Tulsa is now in jail.

Firefighters said they caught Allen Wessel red-handed setting even more fires early Thursday morning.

The Tulsa Fire Department believes that Wessell is responsible for at least 16 house and car fires since October 23 and they’re working to determine if he set even more.

Fire investigators said they arrested Wessell early Thursday morning, while doing surveillance near Pine and Lewis.

They said just after midnight, Wessell went up to a house they were watching on North Atlanta Place, and threw a Molotov-style cocktail onto the roof starting a fire. Investigators chased after him and eventually arrested him nearby. They believe Wessell also set two more fires just moments before investigators caught him.

Deputy Chief Andy Teeter said it was a team effort to catch Wessell because they've been investigating suspicious fires in that area for several weeks.

Teeter said Wessell has not been cooperating, and they're still trying to find a motive.

"We did see at least a couple houses that had fire lit to them more than once,” said Teeter. “We don't know if he was targeting or just returning. We don't have any specific intent that we know of."

Wessell will make his first court appearance on Friday.