Delafield apartment fire, man charged; previously threatened tenants
Stephen Anderson
DELAFIELD, Wis. - A man has been criminally charged in connection to a Delafield apartment fire that displaced several people.
60-year-old Stephen Anderson faces eight counts of 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety, and two counts of 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety, increased penalty for elder person victim.
The fire happened on Sept. 12 at an eight-unit, multifamily apartment complex.
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Firefighters told FOX6 News one person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The Red Cross says renters in four units will be displaced "long term."
Delafield apartment fire; criminal investigation ongoing
A criminal investigation is underway following an apartment fire in Delafield on Sept. 12.
Initial fire
According to the criminal complaint, Stephen Anderson, the defendant, had been living in unit #5 for only a few days.
Victim B, who lives in nearby unit and also does maintenance work for the apartment, said at about 10:30 p.m. he smelled burning and electrical smoke. Upon opening his door, he saw hazy smoke. He closed his door, and left his unit via the patio door and ran around the building to the defendant's unit, where he said he saw black smoke coming from the unit. He also said he saw an active fire in the defendant's unit, per the complaint.
Victim B ran back to his apartment to grab his phone to call 911 and alert everyone upstairs to the fire. The complaint goes on to say that while he was doing this, he saw the defendant in the yard, fully clothed. The defendant told Victim B, "Yeah, there's a fire started in there, but the people upstairs already got out." Victim B said the defendant appeared like he was on a "Sunday stroll" and "just not a care in the world."
The fire lit up the night sky, courtesy: Mary Ebert
Victim B went back inside the apartment, knocking on doors. He also called 911 and pulled the fire alarm.
The complaint goes on to say that when Victim B ran back outside the building, he saw the defendant in the dumpster, grabbing two pieces of cardboard and that he was now naked. Victim B said he knew the defendant knew there was a fire, but did nothing except roam around.
Victim B said he then saw the defendant run away, naked. He was eventually found about half a mile away, per the complaint.
Problems before fire, ‘demonic messages’
According to the complaint, the defendant had moved into the apartment five days prior to the fire and had numerous issues with Victim B, which included the police getting involved.
Victim B said in the days before the fire, he heard the defendant cutting wood in his apartment, and saw him putting 2x4 lumber in his closet. Victim B also said that the defendant had been keeping the foyer door open, which isn't allowed. On Sept. 9, when Victim B brought this up to the defendant, the defendant threatened to stab him, and also threatened to stab the dog of another person who lived in the apartment, per the complaint.
Victim B said he expressed his concern to law enforcement earlier in the week, saying the defendant might hurt someone based on ‘demonic-type messages’ left in the building. The defendant had drawn symbols on the door and stairway landings and placed a dead bird on one of the landings. The dead bird appeared to be the ‘centerpiece with the writings surrounding the dead birds,’ per the complaint.
Apartment management was notified of the incident, and the writings and dead bird were removed. Some tenants were provided security cameras due to the defendant's behavior.
Witnesses interviewed
Including Victim B, law enforcement talked to 10 people residing in the apartment at the time of the fire.
According to the complaint, all witnesses, identified as Victims A through J, all said that the defendant never tried to warn them about the fire.
Victim A, who had to be rescued from the building by firefighters, said that the fire was "no accident." She said he wanted to "harm us," in reference to the defendant starting the fire. She said she had been afraid of the defendant "forever" which was based on the defendant's behavior towards her and her son, who was also afraid of the defendant. Victim A also said the defendant threatened to stab her dog. When she reported this to management, she was given a security camera.
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The complaint goes on to say that Victim J thought the defendant intentionally started the fire, and was fearful he was going to kill him in his sleep. Victim J also said that he saw the defendant bringing tree branches, plywood, and 2x4 lumber into his apartment.
Based on all the victim statements, all tenants were home, and several were sleeping when the fire began. No one said they were notified by the defendant that a fire was started. The defendant told Victim B that everyone was out of the building, when that was not true, and the defendant made that statement knowing he made no efforts to notify any tenants, either by activating the fire alarm, calling 911, or saying the building was on fire in a way that would alert people to the danger.
Court proceedings
Stephen Anderson was arrested, and cash bail was set at $500,000. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 21.