FARGO (KFGO) – An odor investigation at a south Fargo apartment early Monday led to one man being taken into custody after he threatened firefighters and refused to let them into his apartment.
The Fargo Fire Department responded to the call at the Village Park apartments at 4375 10th Avenue S. just after 5:30 a.m. Battalion Chief Dane Carley said a resident could smell smoke but the building’s fire alarms were not going off. Firefighters could see a light haze in first floor laundry room and narrowed the search for the source to a single apartment, but the resident of that apartment was not cooperative and would not let firefighters inside to investigate.
Fargo Police were called and residents in adjoining apartments were evacuated after the man who lived in the apartment began threatening firefighters. The man has been identified as 39-year-old Hector Bonilla. Responding officers tried to get Bonilla to leave and eventually used a taser in order to take him into custody. He was arrested for Endangering by Fire, Terrorizing, Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, and Preventing Arrest, and taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
When firefighters were able to get into the apartment they found a small fire in the bathroom which they were quickly able to extinguish. Investigators say Bonilla intentionally started the fire.
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