Independence man is charged with setting house on fire with wife and children inside

Prosecutors have accused an Independence man of setting his house on fire while his wife and three children were inside.

No one was hurt in the fire.

Atiim K. Smith, 43, is charged in Jackson County Circuit Court with first-degree arson, three counts of child endangerment and four counts of domestic assault.

The fire was reported Sunday night in the 100 block of East Waldo Avenue.

According to court documents, Smith got into an argument with his wife. When she locked him out of the house, he allegedly broke out a window, sprayed lighter fluid on a kitchen shelving unit and ignited it with a cigarette lighter.

Three children were in the house, including one boy in the bathtub. The children were crying and frantic, according to court documents.

Police found a can of lighter fluid on the ground outside the back door, according to the documents.

When questioned by police, Smith said his wife started the fire and he broke out the window and pulled out the burning material.

Police noted, however, that he did not have any cuts or burns on his hands.

A judge set Smith’s bond at $250,000.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Independence man is charged with setting house on fire with wife and children inside."