GRESHAM, Ore. — A fire damaged what a Gresham Fire spokesperson called an 'iconic business' and 'landmark building' early Monday morning. Gresham police later described the incident as an arson fire and confirmed that a suspect had been arrested.
Gresham Fire crews responded to a fire around 2 a.m. Monday at the building that houses Walker Travel & Cruises, located at the corner of North Main Avenue and Division Street, not far from Gresham High School.
A fire official told KGW that the fire started on the porch of the building and spread from there, damaging the porch and front rooms. Nobody was injured.
Because the fire station is close by, crews were able to get to the building in about two minutes, a fire official told KGW, which helped them keep the fire from spreading.
Sarah Ann Arndt, 43, was arrested on suspicion of starting the fire, Gresham Police Lt. John Rasmussen told KGW on Monday afternoon. Officers patrolling the area found the building on fire and learned that Arndt was reportedly nearby, then took her into custody, he said.
Arndt was booked in Multnomah County jail at about 4 a.m. Monday, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office inmate roster, on one count of first degree Arson, a Class A Felony.
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