Friday night Bainbridge Public Safety officers responded to a call on the 400 block of North Lamar Street in reference to possible arson.

Dame’yone Madge, a neighbor of the resident, said he saw a black male throwing something at the house like a liquid out of a white jug.

He then saw the subject do something similar to lighting a match or lighter. After seeing that, the flames engulfed the side of the house and Madge and another male ran to the house and threw water on the fire to control the flames.

Fire Chief Doyle Welch said upon arrival there were still flames on the north side of the house and the fire had gone up behind the panel box and burned it up. Welch and other officers on scene tried to determine what was used to start the fire. Kerosene typically doesn’t come in a white jug, so they believe it was possibly charcoal lighter fluid. They searched the area and were unable to retrieve any type of jug, though.

Welch said in these types of situations people usually have a motive, but the homeowner said he doesn’t have any problem with anyone.

Welch also said the homeowner wouldn’t have any personal gain from burning his own home.

The home does not have insurance, but has recently been restored by the homeowner.

He has spent months fixing it up and the panel box was a recent purchase.

Although BPS does not have a suspect in custody yet, Welch was able to get a sample of dirt to send to the crime lab that can hopefully tell him for sure what was used. The suspect fled on foot, but Madge was able to tell officers he was wearing a white shirt and dark green pajama bottoms.

He estimated the individual was about 6 foot with a thin build.

Anyone with any information on someone matching this description is asked to contact Welch directly or Investigator Chip Nix at BPS.