Sequim Gazette staff

A Blyn man was arrested for allegedly starting a fire within the Sellin’ Style car dealership at 251 Old Blyn Highway.

Clallam County Fire District 3 reported to the fire at 10:22 p.m. Thursday, May 7, where they found the center section of the building in flames.

However, they extinguished the fire before it spread through the rest of the building.

Clallam County Sheriff’s Department officials said deputies gathered witness information that one of the property’s residents, Jose Noe Torres, 57, was living in a travel trailer inside the building and allegedly started the fire on purpose.

Torres told witnesses that he was upset with the property’s landlord and “would burn everything down,” sheriff officials said.

The business was previously linked to a methamphetamine ring and its owner Timothy P. Smith, 31, of Sequim, was sentenced in April to 11 years in federal prison.

Upon further investigation, deputies with advanced specialty training in fire investigations, obtained evidence corroborating the witness statement implicating Torres.

He is in Clallam County Corrections Facility and is charged with Arson 2nd Degree by the Clallam County Prosecutor’s Office.