Man arrested, accused of burning cars, a house in the city of Miami

MIAMI TOWNSHIP, Ohio – A man has been arrested for allegedly setting several fires outside a Miami Township residence, according to court records.

Christopher Marshall, 34, was arrested and charged with aggravated arson, according to court documents. Court documents say Marshall set fire to the home on East Miami River Road, in addition to two vehicles and a motor home.

The fires broke out Wednesday morning at a property on East Miami River Road near Cleves.

Miami Township Fire Chief Matt Schumann told a WCPO crew at the scene that the fires were just across the street from a fire station. Fire crews were cleaning their equipment and saw the fire burning across the street from them.

Schumann said two cars, the front of a house and the back of a house were on fire when firefighters responded.

Firefighters found two people outside the house who had escaped the fire; they were treated at the scene but did not need to be taken to the hospital, Schumann said.

Additional crews were called to assist with the fire and the Hamilton County Fire Investigation Unit was called to investigate.

On Wednesday morning, Schumann did not say whether arson was suspected, but said officials were treating the fire as suspicious because several different locations of the home were on fire.

Marshall is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning.