gallery furniture...omg

[kylahsmom]

A person has been arrested and accused of setting the fire that destroyed the large warehouse adjacent to Gallery Furniture's main location on the North Freeway in May.

The person, a former Gallery employee who has not been identified, is charged with arson, a first-degree felony.

Gallery Furniture's owner Jim McIngvale said he welcomed the news.

``It's very relieving to everyone at Gallery that there's been an arrest made,`` he said.

McIngvale said the fire easily could have been deadly because of the number of people on the property at a given time. There were no injuries reported.

He also expressed gratitude to local and federal investigators.

The four-alarm fire erupted about 9 p.m. on May 21 and raced through the warehouse at 6006 Interstate 45 North. Firefighters were able to keep the blaze from spreading to the showroom and no injuries were reported. The location reopened earlier this month.

Officials have said the total loss was between $15 million and $20 million.

The Houston Fire Department has scheduled a 2:45 p.m. news conference to discuss details of the arrest