As an anxious mom who doom-scrolls far too much, so many scenarios of disaster run through my head. It is a pretty exhausting state to be in nearly constantly, but the truth is, I have gotten rather imaginative when it comes to worrying about things that could happen. Among my top fears is a fire breaking out in my home. When I stress about it, it’s always because I neglected to do something, such as not clean out the dryer’s lint trap or left a candle burning.
Now, thanks to a man named Tylor A. Burghoff, I can now add “arson” to the things I will worry about happening. Around 8:55 a.m. on November 20, 2025, a fire broke out in an Independence, Missouri, home with four people inside, according to a release from the Independence Fire Department posted on social media. Luckily, the fire was quickly extinguished, the group was safe, and the home’s interior wasn’t damaged, reported The Mirror.
“I called this in,” claimed one Facebook user on the department’s post. “It was so scary to see how quickly it spread from the time I called and to when the firefighters arrived!”
The comment section of the post included several prayers and well-wishes for the folks affected, but many went on to speculate about what or who may have been behind it. Although it was simply noted in the fire department’s post that the cause was under investigation, the community has plenty of reason to suspect foul play.
According to a probable cause affidavit Law & Crime reviewed, several neighbors placed Burghoff at the scene. Not only was he arrested after allegedly setting the blaze, but he also stands accused of “watching the fire and laughing” as the home burned. When police found him, he reportedly had two lighters in his pocket but adamantly denied his involvement.
Still, the homeowner, who was one of the witnesses, told police she knew who he was and saw him “yelling and laughing while he was outside.” Another witness who was inside stated she saw him on the home’s porch “grab[bing] some sort of blue metal can that she described as a gas can.”
He continued to yell and knock on the door, but no one allowed him to get inside. The homeowner did note that she did not personally see Burghoff set the fire.
Despite all this, Burghoff still maintains his innocence. He is charged with arson and was taken to the Jackson County Detention Center with a bond set at $30,000, Law & Crime reported.
