Auburn man wants answers after his home is firebombed
AUBURN, Wash. -- An Auburn man says his house was firebombed over the weekend, and now he wants to know why it took investigators two days to respond to the incident.
John Berglund woke up Saturday night just feet away from flames after a firebomb exploded on his front porch.
"I woke up to sounds of crackling wood, and a flashing sound in the house," he said. "I thought the whole place was just gonna explode and go up in flames."
It sounds cliche when someone says their life flashed before their eyes, but Berglund said that's exactly what happened.
"I was sleeping literally less that two-feet away from that fire," he said. "My head was right there and it literally could've killed me."
Surveillance video from the Palisades Mobile Home Park shows the flames splashing against the home, and Berglund believes if he didn't wake up when he did and put the fire out, the whole house might have burned.
"I just have to say that the angels were looking out for him and it didn't happen," said Renee Berglund.
Nobody was hurt, but Berglund and his wife are scared, and they want to know why it took so long for investigators to show up to the house.
Police say an officer arrived on scene after the fire was already out, but investigators from the Valley Regional Fire Authority weren't called out to investigate until two days later.
Berglund said that's just not acceptable.
"Any fire, I would think the fire department should be notified, and they dropped the ball," he said. "911 didn't get the fire department here and that police officer didn't get the fire department here."
While Auburn police say the officer on duty did nothing wrong, they do admit something fell through the cracks between police and 911 dispatchers in notifying fire officials.
Berglund and his wife are safe, but the firebombing has left him with an unsettling feeling.
"I haven't gone to work in two days and I'm afraid to leave the house," he said. "It's terrifying."
The management company said it's installing more lights and security cameras at the house, as well as a brand new gate.
Anyone with information about the arson is asked to call the police.
John Berglund woke up Saturday night just feet away from flames after a firebomb exploded on his front porch.
"I woke up to sounds of crackling wood, and a flashing sound in the house," he said. "I thought the whole place was just gonna explode and go up in flames."
It sounds cliche when someone says their life flashed before their eyes, but Berglund said that's exactly what happened.
"I was sleeping literally less that two-feet away from that fire," he said. "My head was right there and it literally could've killed me."
Surveillance video from the Palisades Mobile Home Park shows the flames splashing against the home, and Berglund believes if he didn't wake up when he did and put the fire out, the whole house might have burned.
"I just have to say that the angels were looking out for him and it didn't happen," said Renee Berglund.
Nobody was hurt, but Berglund and his wife are scared, and they want to know why it took so long for investigators to show up to the house.
Police say an officer arrived on scene after the fire was already out, but investigators from the Valley Regional Fire Authority weren't called out to investigate until two days later.
Berglund said that's just not acceptable.
"Any fire, I would think the fire department should be notified, and they dropped the ball," he said. "911 didn't get the fire department here and that police officer didn't get the fire department here."
While Auburn police say the officer on duty did nothing wrong, they do admit something fell through the cracks between police and 911 dispatchers in notifying fire officials.
Berglund and his wife are safe, but the firebombing has left him with an unsettling feeling.
"I haven't gone to work in two days and I'm afraid to leave the house," he said. "It's terrifying."
The management company said it's installing more lights and security cameras at the house, as well as a brand new gate.
Anyone with information about the arson is asked to call the police.
