North Mankato man facing arson charges for porch fire

A North Mankato man is accused of intentionally starting a porch fire last weekend.

Michael Andrews Seys, 35, has been charged with 1st-degree arson and 1st-degree damage to property in Nicollet County District Court.

North Mankato police and fire responded Saturday at 11:32 a.m. to a house fire on the 500 block of Garfield Ave.

First responders found the fire was extinguished and had been contained to an enclosed patio.  The homeowners said they had been asleep and were awoken by the fire alarms.

According to a press release from the North Mankato Police Department, investigators found remnants of a melted gas can and a lighter fluid container at the scene.

Seys was identified as a suspect during the course of the investigation and was located later that same night at Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato.

The fire remains under investigation.