NEBRASKA CITY -  A Nebraska City man is suspected of arson after a house fire Wednesday night.

Police Chief Ben Murry said flames were crawling a wall of the house at 1502 Fourth Ave. when first responders arrived. Police alerted several occupants and evacuated the building while firefighters extinguished the fire shortly after 9 p.m.

 

 

Firefighters had earlier been called to extinguish a small campfire beneath the 11th Street overpass that had been started by a homeless person and were still at the station when the house fire call came in. Four units and 29 firefighters responded moments later and extinguished fire on the exterior wall and roof of the house, as well as debris outside.

Robert Heiman, 49, is suspected of arson, assault, violating a protection order, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and terroristic threats.

Chief Murry said a victim, who was inside the house when the fire was set, had been stabbed in the forearm. Police later arrested Heiman at a different location.

Murry said police entered the house to evacuate the occupants, but were met with physical non-compliance from a woman.

 

Brittney Baker, 33, of Nebraska City is charged with assault on an officer. She had obtained a protection order against Heiman the day prior to the fire.