The person allegedly responsible for a fire in the Jefferson area last fall was named in a sealed indictment last week by the DeKalb County Grand Jury. The blaze destroyed a home and claimed a couple of pets.

Scarlett Suzette Lawrence Strayn, 38, of Smithville, was arrested on April 5 and charged with Arson or burning personal property/land. She is under a $120,000 bond and she will appear in DeKalb County Criminal Court on April 10.

According to the indictment, on November 7, 2022 Strayn unlawfully and knowingly damaged a structure and personal property belonging to Jermaica League by means of a fire or explosion without the consent of all persons who had a possessory, proprietary, or security interest therein in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law).

At approximately 2:32 a.m., November 7, 2022, the DeKalb County Fire Department was dispatched to a single wide mobile home on South Judkins Lane in the Jefferson Community. The trailer and a bass boat were reported to be on fire.

The Keltonburg, Belk, Blue Springs, Four Seasons, Short Mountain, and Main stations responded to the scene, along with the tanker, DeKalb Emergency Medical Services, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

Upon arrival, firefighters found the mobile home with heavy fire showing through the roof on one end of the home, in the bedroom area. The bass boat also had heavy fire in the engine and fuel tank areas.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, containing the fire to bedroom of the mobile home. The remainder of the home received extensive heat and smoke damage. The boat was extensively damaged by fire.

No one was injured and no other nearby properties were damaged. Two caged dogs perished inside the home.