A 54-year-old Centralia man has been arrested after allegedly setting fire to a business in Chehalis over a dispute, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
Jeffrey David Post was booked into jail for a charge of first-degree arson at about 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Chehalis police responded to an audible burglary alarm at Northwest Property Managers, located at 1646 S. Market Blvd., at 3:07 a.m. Tuesday.
“When officers arrived, they observed that the door had been broken and that an active
fire was burning inside the building,” according to a news release from Chehalis police. “The Chehalis Fire Department was notified of the active structure fire. The initial arriving officers attempted to extinguish the fire but were unsuccessful.”
The Chehalis Fire Department — with assistance from the Riverside Regional Fire Authority, Fire District 6 and Fire District 5 — knocked the fire down by about 3:30 a.m. and had it fully extinguished by 3:45 a.m.
While in the area, Chehalis police contacted Post, who allegedly admitted to breaking into the building and setting the fires “following a dispute with the business.” He was then booked into the Lewis County Jail.
He’s expected to face charges of first-degree arson and first-degree burglary.
The case remains under investigation.
“The City of Chehalis would like to thank the Centralia Police Department, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Riverside Regional Fire Authority, Fire District 6 and Fire District 5 for their assistance and continued support,” police stated in the news release.
The Chronicle will provide an update when Post appears in Lewis County Superior Court.
