Authorities: Man set fire to relatives’ Wheaton home

A 40-year-old man is facing an arson charge after authorities accused him of setting fire to a house in Wheaton that belongs to his aunt and uncle.

Nahom T. Abraha, who had no listed address, is charged with one felony count of aggravated arson in connection with a fire that happened Sunday morning in Wheaton, authorities said.

According to a news release from the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office, Wheaton police and firefighters responded about 6:28 a.m. Sept. 13 to a home on fire on the 200 block of Woodlawn Street.

When they arrived, police officers spoke with a neighbor who, after hearing a noise outside his home, went outside and observed the back of the home on fire, according to the news release.

Officials said the neighbor retrieved a fire extinguisher from his home, returned to his neighbor’s house, and extinguished the fire.

Officers found a large, clear bottle containing a yellow liquid in the yard of a neighboring residence, authorities said.

Following an investigation, prosecutors allege Abraha went to the residence with a container of gasoline, poured the gasoline on his relatives’ home, ignited it and returned to his car.

According to prosecutors, Abraha remained in his car until he saw the neighbor exit his house. At that point, Abraha drove to the Wheaton Police Department and turned himself in, authorities said.

A DuPage County judge ordered that Abraha be detained at the DuPage County jail to await trial. His next court hearing is Oct. 13.