TULSA, Ok — A fire at a South Tulsa business leads investigators to suspect arson.
Asm Ismail was arrested for 2nd-degree arson for the fire at his business, Peoria Foodland, in August.
Then, on Thursday, Kesha Morgan was arrested after investigators say video showed her at the scene.
2 News spoke with people in the neighborhood who said they were significantly impacted by the fire.
2 News Oklahoma's Sharon Phillips listed to Rebekah Dennis as she described her daily walks to the store.
“It was close and it was convenient, and the prices were more affordable than around the area,” said Dennis.
But investigators said what appeared to be a small fire now appears to be arson.
“In the video they determined that the business owner and the employees left around midnight, but that women stayed and we have video of her there when the fire occurred,” said Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department.
Little said the investigation took about five months.
“Our investigators got some tips and followed up on that and determined that accomplice’s name was Kesha Morgan and they were able to interview Miss Morgan. As they interviewed her and continued to question her, she finally admitted that she was paid by the business owner to set the fire so our investigators booked her into David L. Moss on second degree arson charges, which are the same charges that the business owner received,” said Little.
According to the report, Little said it appears that Morgan may have used a type of cooking oil to set the fire in two different places.
For Rebekah Dennis, the accusations against the owner, Asm Ismail, are hard to believe.
“He really tried to help people so it’s hard to believe that he would set it on fire,” said Dennis.
Dennis said the fire has really impacted her daily life since it happened in August.
“I have to walk a mile and a half or almost two miles to get to Walmart and it was literally a block and a half a way,” said Dennis.
Little said there are a number of reasons as to why someone might commit arson including being angry with someone, insurance-related issues, mental health problems, or the desire to destroy something.
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