Man jailed on charge of arson after fire breaks out on West Sixth Street
Firefighters responded to this blaze at 1004 W. Sixth Street this morning at 3:31 a.m. The building is part of a series of four connected shops. Fire destroyed the interior of the single business site and smoke damage occurred to the connected spaces both to the east and west, including Studio Hair and Nails owned by Henry Tran. Tran owns the building, which includes addresses 1008, 1006, and 1004.
By Tom Peterson
An Oregon State Police arson Investigation team was on-site at 1004 W. 6th Street this afternoon, Jan. 25, after a fire destroyed the interior of the vacant shop and caused smoke damage to three other abutting business locations, including Studio Hair and Nail.
David John Daniels, 66, is now in NORCOR being held for first-degree arson.
He is being held on a $280,000 bond.
The Dalles Police were originally called out to 1004 W. 6th St. at 12:07 a.m. this morning on a disturbance/fight call, according to The Dalles Police Department Log.
It was reported to police that David John Daniels was intoxicated, breaking things and yelling, and he chased his wife out of the building.
Police responded to the call and the final entry in the log was, “suspect wouldn’t come to the door and the female half wasn’t cooperative.”
“He wouldn’t come out, and they wouldn’t go in,” said Joli Kirk. She said she was there at the time of the disturbance. “And they (police) left after about eight minutes on-site, despite our pleas and direct warnings about what we thought he was capable of.”
The next entry in the police log was at 3:31 a.m. for an assist with a fire at the same location. The log states ‘it is unknown if David is inside.”
Fire Crews had cordoned off the parking lot, protecting the site of a fire at 1004 W. Sixth Street on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 25. Oregon State Police Arson Investigation teams and Oregon State Fire Marshall are processing the scene for evidence of Arson.
This afternoon, Division Chief and Fire Marshall Jay Wood with Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue said the building was fully engulfed when crews arrived on the scene at 3:30 a.m.
He said flames were pouring out the front two windows and the front door of the single shop.
“We had a report for someone inside the building at 1006,” he said referring to the shop just west of where the fire was shooting black smoke and flames into the night skies.
Firefighters doused the flames while a crew member entered the 1006 W. Sixth St. and recovered a male from the location who appeared to be suffering from smoke inhalation. He, however, recovered and was not taken to the hospital for further treatment, Wood said.
In addition, no firefighters were hurt while battling the blaze.
Crews were able to knock the fire down in about 15 minutes, Wood said. “The cause is under investigation due to the nature of the fire,” he said.
The Oregon State Police Arson investigation team as well as the State Fire Marshall are sorting through the building for evidence. Wood said the arson case is under the jurisdiction of The Dalles Police Department.
Henry Tran, owner of Studio Hair and Salon as well as other buildings affected by fire. Shops at 1004, 1006 and his business at 1008 W. Sixth St. received smoke damage.
Next door to where the blaze occurred, Henry Tran, owner of Studio Hair and Nails, had his shop open.
But the smell of smoke was thick in the salon.
Tran also owns the three shops next to his - the one that burned the shops both to the east and west of it.
“Everything is ok,” he said this afternoon, noting he had to clean the smoke and mop. He said he received calls about the fire at 5 a.m. but he did not know who it was and did not answer. It was not until 8:30 am that the police called and he answered to find out that the building had burned.
“They had to shut down the gas,” he said of the natural gas line that is used to supply his heater for the building. Small electric heaters were running behind him.
“You got to stay open. That’s business,” he said.
