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Man Mad About Divorce Allegedly Sets Wife's Bed, House On Fire

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - An Oakland County man is behind bars after he allegedly set his estranged wife's bed and house ablaze.

According to Sheriff's officials, the 35-year-old woman and her three children escaped the fire unharmed early Monday morning, in the 9400 block of Cherrywood in Springfield Township.

The 38-year-old husband was arrested

The woman told deputies at the scene that she was sleeping with her 10-year-old daughter when she could smell a comforter burning on the bed. She then noticed that there was a fire in her closet and in the adjacent laundry room, which was locked, she said.

All three fires were extinguished by the woman and her three children: a 17-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter and the 10 year-old-daughter — using pans filled with water from the kitchen sink, Sheriff's officials said.

The son had to kick the laundry room door open in order to put that fire out, the woman said.

She told deputies that she and her husband are in the middle of a divorce, he was mad at her and that he started the fires in retaliation for her not speaking to him.

Oakland County Sheriff's Office Fire investigators determined the fires were a result of arson, officials said.

The 38-year-old husband remains behind bars at the Oakland County Jail with charged pending.

His name was not immediately released.

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