FAIRLEA, W.Va. (WVDN) – A man has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson following a house fire early on the morning of Nov. 3.
Police responded to a call about a fire and disturbance at a residence in Fairlea. Upon arrival, officers found Larry Brookman outside the home, behaving erratically.
According to officials, Brookman allegedly intentionally set a fire in his bedroom while his mother, Margaret Brookman, was inside. He claimed to have done so to draw attention to what he believed were intruders in his home.
Despite the dangerous situation, firefighters extinguished the blaze and rescued Margaret Brookman. She was transported to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and later transferred to the ICU.
Brookman was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Southern Regional Jail with bail set at $50,000. The incident remains under investigation as authorities work to piece together the exact sequence of events.
