What happened
The Evansville Fire Department reported an arrest in connection with a September house fire on Stinson Avenue that injured two people, according to 14 News (WFIE)[1]. The case remains ongoing.
The fire broke out just before 6 a.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026, at a home in the 1800 block of Stinson Avenue. Two civilians were injured, and no firefighters were hurt. All occupants escaped before firefighters arrived. Four adults and three juveniles were displaced, and the specific injuries were not reported.
Fire investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set and began on the back porch. Investigators reviewed residential security video and Flock camera footage.
On Thursday, October 8, 2026, the fire department reported the arrest of a 33-year-old man on charges of arson resulting in serious bodily injury, arson resulting in bodily injury, arson on a dwelling, and criminal recklessness. He was held at the Vanderburgh County Jail on a $25,000 bond. These charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
What people hurt in a house fire should do next
If you were hurt in a house fire, follow up on burn, smoke inhalation, and other injuries with your own doctors, even after initial treatment. Keep copies of your medical records, receipts for temporary housing, and a list of damaged or lost property. The firm's fire and burn injury information explains how these cases may be handled.
Contact your homeowner's or renter's insurance company promptly, and ask for a copy of the fire department's report when it becomes available. If you rent the home, keep the lease and communications with the landlord. A practical guide to preserving injury evidence also explains why records and photographs can matter in a claim.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
The fire happened in the 1800 block of Stinson Avenue in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, and Evansville Fire Department investigators handled the case. A civil case connected to the fire would ordinarily be filed in Vanderburgh County or where a defendant lives.
The general deadline to file an injury claim in Indiana is two years under Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. When an injured person is a minor, Ind. Code 34-11-6-1 can affect when that period begins. A criminal case and a civil injury claim are separate, and a civil claim does not have to wait for the criminal case to finish. You can read more about Indiana injury claim deadlines.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office is a Fort Wayne personal injury law firm founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm helps people across Indiana who are hurt because of someone else's wrongdoing or carelessness. Chad Delventhal can explain how an injury claim after a fire may work, what records matter, and which deadlines apply. No outcome can be promised in any case.
If you have questions about a possible claim, you can request a free case evaluation or review the firm's personal injury services.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
