Kelvin Dewain Moore
Chattanooga fire investigators said 38-year-old Kelvin Dewain Moore started a house fire in East Lake apparently because he was angry after his step-father accused him of stealing from him.
Moore is charged with aggravated arson in the blaze at 1911 34th St. that destroyed the house and most of its contents.
No one was injured in that fire, but Moore's mother and niece were inside when it broke out.
Family members said Kelvin Moore was at home when the step-father, Michael Moore, came home and made the accusation about stealing. He then left and went down the street. Family members said Moore went upstairs mad. Later, he came downstairs and said he was going outside to wait on a friend.
The mother, Mary Moore, and niece, Kiera Walker, were in the front living room watching TV. They said less than five minutes after kelvin Moore went outside, they heard glass breaking and heard popping sounds. They went to the kitchen and saw flames coming into the kitchen window, which is located under the carport in the back of the house.
They ran out the front door and found Kelvin Moore outside at the front of the house.
Kelvin Moore was in the back of a police car by the time fire investigators arrived. Investigator Waters said there was a strong smell of gasoline on him. He denied starting the fire.
His mother averred that he did start the fire, saying he was mad and was off his medication for schizophrenia.
It was found that the least to most burned areas led back to the exterior of the back of the house below the back kitchen window. Below the window was a melted red plastic gasoline can. Family members said the can should have been locked up in a storage area. The storage area had a lock on it, but it was not in a locked position.
Firefighters were dispatched to the house fire at 6:50 p.m. Battalion Chief Chris Willmore said everyone was out of the house when the first firefighters arrived.
Chief Willmore said it took the firefighters roughly 30 minutes to get the blaze under control. No injuries were reported.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee were called in to provide assistance to the three adults displaced by the fire. Chattanooga Police provided assistance.
Moore has a lengthy criminal record.