Travis Carlson Played Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ While Setting His Own House on Fire

Travis Carlson Played Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ While Setting His Own House on Fire

In Minnesota, a landlord named Travis Carlson, aged 37, reportedly played Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ while setting his own house on fire with one of his tenants still inside.

According to court documents, Travis Carlson has been charged with first-degree arson for allegedly setting fire to his Duluth residence on May 18. In the early hours of the morning, authorities were called to the 2400 block of Fourth Street.

Upon arrival, they found that the upstairs flat was engulfed in flames. Despite the chaos, music continued to play in the background. According to reports, Carlson allegedly poured gasoline from his vehicle to ignite the flames before alerting his downstairs tenant by knocking on their door and stating that “the house is on fire.”

The suspect was taken into custody the following day after being found with fresh burn wounds on his arms and legs. He is presently detained at the St. Louis County jail. Reportedly, the bail for the individual in question has been set at $75,000.

According to the downstairs tenant, Carlson was heard smashing glass and shattering items for approximately 20 minutes around 3 a.m. According to reports, Carlson proceeded to knock on their door and deliver the alarming news that their residence was engulfed in flames.

According to a neighbor, the landlord was seen wearing a helmet and smashing his own windows, prompting a call to 911. According to the witness, he saw Carlson underneath his truck with petrol cans and observed him going in and out of the house.

The witness then reported seeing a flash, which resulted in a fireball erupting from the upstairs flat. During the fire investigation, it was discovered that a hole had been drilled in the landlord’s gas tank. A drill was found nearby, and lids to gas cans were also found resting on the ground near the truck.

As per the probable cause statement, green liquid lines from the burning accelerant were found staining furniture, carpeting, and walls in several portions of the upstairs flat. According to reports, a number of wires were removed from the basement electrical system of the house.

The individual residing on the lower level of the building did not sustain any injuries during the fire, however, they were compelled to evacuate their residence. If found guilty of the felony charge, Carlson could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison.

In 2005, the property was purchased by the individual who proceeded to rent out the basement area while occupying the upper level of the 1901 building.