Fight over Xbox blamed for house burning down
Date: Friday, August 11 @ 12:03:24 UTC
Topic: Off Topic


By BRAD WONG
P-I REPORTER

A disagreement over a Microsoft Xbox game console exploded into a fight, taunts and eventually a fire that ravaged a Central District house, the Seattle police said Friday morning.

None of the four occupants of the house was hurt in the blaze and Seattle police are conducting an arson investigation, according to Sean Whitcomb, department spokesman.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, a former resident of the home at 20th Avenue and East Columbia Street was visiting. A disagreement began over the ownership of the popular game console.


At some point, the former occupant, a 20-year-old Seattle man, "in a fit of rage, took the Xbox and threw it out the window into the front yard," Whitcomb said in a taped media message.

With the console lying on the ground, a current resident of the house returned home and confronted the 20-year-old man. "It wasn't long before the two of them became engaged in a physical fight," said Whitcomb.

The 20-year-old man left the house but returned later, and police believe he set fire to the back porch of the house. Everyone inside was able to escape the blaze, Whitcomb said.

But around 12:30 a.m., the man used a downtown pay phone to contact the person with whom he fought to taunt him and make additional threats.

After conducting interviews, Seattle police proceeded to the man's residence and arrested him when he returned. Officers took him to the police station for questioning.

"It's a pretty unique set of cir*****stances," Whitcomb said in an interview.

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He was not sure whether the Xbox console suffered any damage.

"I saw it. I don't know if it was still operating. It got launched, for sure," Whitcomb said in an interview.

He confirmed the Xbox involved was the original model, and not the newer Xbox 360.

The Seattle Fire Department reports it responded to the fire at 710 20th Ave. just around midnight, according to its dispatch Web site.

Source: http://www.seattlepi.com





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