Downers Grove man charged with setting own house on fire

A Downers Grove man has been charged with setting his house on fire last month.

DuPage County Judge Jeffrey MacKay set bail Tuesday at $50,000 for Robert Clauser, 52, formerly of the 1700 block of Virginia Street.

At about 7 a.m. Dec. 20, police and firefighters responded to a fire at Clauser's Virginia Street house. Investigators determined gasoline cans had been placed around the home's interior, along with propane tanks and many items of combustible material on the kitchen table.

Downers Grove police issued a public alert that morning seeking Clauser and announced Dec. 22 that he had been found.

An arrest warrant was issued Jan. 4, and Clauser was arrested Jan. 6.

"Thankfully, no one was injured, and the fire was contained to Mr. Clauser's residence and did not cause any damage to neighboring homes," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a news release.

Clauser's next court date is Jan. 9.