(Spencer)– Authorities say a fire Thursday evening at Spencer Hospital was intentionally set and that a suspect has been charged in connection with the blaze.
Spencer Fire and Rescue and Spencer police were called to the scene shortly after 9:00 p.m. after getting a report of a fire alarm going off at the facility. Hospital staff confirmed a fire was burning on the second floor on the south side of the hospital. The smoke was found coming from room 207 in the hospital’s Mental Health wing. All patients in the wing had been safely evacuated by the time firefighters arrived.
Upon entering the room, firefighters found two patient beds had been burned. The fire had been extinguished by the hospital’s sprinkler system.
Firefighters ventilated the area. The room sustained an undetermined amount of smoke, fire and water damage.
No other areas of the hospital had to be evacuated.
A subsequent investigation by police, firefighters and the State Fire Marshals Office found there were multiple points of origin of the fire and that it was the result of arson. Spencer police then arrested 31-year-old Jared Lee Reinholt and charged him with first degree arson. Reinholdt, who’s address wasn’t immediately available, was booked into the Clay county jail.
