Milwaukee house fire; man accused of setting fire at group home
Christopher Bystra
MILWAUKEE - A 54-year-old Milwaukee man is now charged with arson in connection with a house fire that happened near 2nd and Auer on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The accused is Christopher Bystra.
Case details
What we know:
Milwaukee firefighters responded to the house fire shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The owner was inside with two children when she smelled smoke. When the woman left the building and saw fire on the northwest side of the building, she helped get the children to safety.
2nd and Auer, Milwaukee
The woman also has three residents who live in the home – as part of a group home. One of those residents is the defendant. None of the residents was home at the time of the fire, the complaint indicates.'
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The fire caused severe damage to the inside and outside of the home – and the building is uninhabitable. The criminal complaint against the defendant indicates the "point of ignition appears to be (Bystra's) bedroom."
Milwaukee house fire; mother saves children, no injuries reported
A Milwaukee home was damaged by fire on Wednesday morning, Feb. 25. It happened near 2nd and Auer shortly before 8 a.m.
When investigators questioned Bystra, the complaint says "his brain was spinning last night and that he used an electric stove to ignite paper, which he used to set fire to a pile of clothes on a table in his closet." Bystra admitted to setting the fire and stated "he had been living at the residence for one month since his release from prison," the complaint says.
What's next:
Bystra was scheduled to make his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Thursday, Feb. 27.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Wisconsin Circuit Court Access online access in addition to the criminal complaint associated with this case.