SAN ANTONIO – A 43-year-old man intentionally set fire to a mobile home on the city's Southwest Side in an attempt to collect insurance money, an arrest affidavit said.
Nicholas Alvarez Jr. was arrested and charged with arson to a habitation in connection with the fire Jan. 30 in the 11000 block of Fowler Road.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office said investigators found a red gas tank they believe Alvarez used to start the fire inside the mobile home, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Alvarez's brother told fire officials that the suspect would start small fires to stay warm because there wasn't any electricity in the mobile home and he was homeless.
But investigators said the fire was intentionally set because Alvarez wanted to destroy or damage the home because he knew it was insured, the affidavit said.
Neighbors told investigators they saw Alvarez leave the trailer just before the fire started, the affidavit said.