KC man ranted about wife and girlfriend while setting fire to home, prosecutors say

Clay County prosecutors on Wednesday charged a 37-year-old man with arson, accusing him of setting fire to a Kansas City, North, house.

Brandon J. West faces a charge of first-degree arson in connection with the blaze Tuesday evening that destroyed a house in the 4800 block of North Wallace and injured two people.

According to court records, one of the victims said he was sitting in the living room before 6:30 p.m. when he heard a loud bang in the garage. He looked inside the garage and saw his son Brandon West pouring gasoline onto the floor.

West allegedly told his father, “I’m gonna burn this (expletive) house down.” West then went into an angry rant about his estranged wife and his current girlfriend. West also poured gasoline onto the carpet and the stairway. He used a lighter to ignite the gasoline, prosecutors allege.

The victim’s socks caught fire when the gasoline ignited, burning his feet and causing him to fall to the floor.

West’s wife said she was upstairs when the fire started, according to court records. She became trapped in a rear bedroom as the fire spread and neighbors helped her escape through a window on the upper floor.

The woman was treated at a nearby hospital.

In addition to fire department crews, Kansas City Police Department bomb and arson personnel responded to investigate the fire.

Bond for West was set at $100,000. No court date has been scheduled.