Shoreline resident’s hospitality backfires as guest sets living room couch on fire
Nov 3, 2025, 10:07 AM
A photo of the couch burned in a Shoreline residence fire. (Photo courtesy of the Shoreline Fire Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Shoreline Fire Department)
A suspect who overstayed their welcome in a Shoreline residence was arrested after setting a couch on fire when they were told to leave on Sunday.
At approximately 2:30 p.m., the Shoreline Fire Department (SFD) arrived and found a couch, among other surrounding items, on fire in the front living room, SFD announced.
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The homeowner had previously invited the suspect to stay in his home temporarily until they could find another place to stay, but the suspect stayed longer than expected, according to KIRO 7.
When the owner advised the suspect that it was time to leave, the suspect began to damage items within the residence.
“I was working, and I smelled smoke,” Eric Basham, the homeowner, told KIRO 7. “When I came out, he was throwing things and yelling and running around without his shirt on.”
SFD was able to extinguish the fire quickly after its arrival.
The suspect was placed into custody through a joint effort between the King County Sheriff’s Office and the Shoreline Police Department. The King County Investigative Unit and Shoreline Fire Investigator remained on the scene to determine the cause of the fire.
No injuries were reported.
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