Cedar Rapids woman charged with setting her rental house on fire

A Cedar Rapids woman has been charged with second-degree arson after authorities determined she set fire to the house she was renting.

Terri J. Yates, 41, is accused of starting three separate fires in the kitchen of 1552 Seventh Ave. SE on Nov. 30. No one was injured in the blaze, which damaged the stove, floor and part of a wall.

Yates told firefighters her furnace had failed and she was using her gas oven to heat the house. She claimed she heard an explosion in the kitchen, discovered flames coming from the oven, and escaped to a neighbor's house. The neighbor called 911.

Investigators confirmed the furnace was not working, but also determined there had been three distinct fires. Fire department spokesman Greg Buelow said flammable liquids were burning in three containers inside the broiler of the oven and in another container on the kitchen floor. He said the liquids were PVC solvents, which are used in plumbing to hold pipes and joints together.

A bag of trash had also been lit on fire in the kitchen, Buelow said.

Firefighters originally took Yates at her word, but an investigator quickly determined there were three ignition points, not one fire that had spread.

"The situation diverted course a little bit when there were inconsistencies between her story and the fact that there were three different fires," Buelow said.

Yates was questioned multiple times and eventually arrested on Jan. 6 and taken to the Linn County Jail. She was later released after posting $15,000 bond, but was to be supervised by the Department of Corrections. A preliminary court hearing has been set for Jan. 27.

Buelow said the arson charge was second-degree because Yates was the only one who had been in the house when the fire started. He said investigators had to prove the method used and the opportunity, but not the motive in the case.

The rental house is owned by Richard and Bridget White of Cedar Rapids.