A man was sentenced recently for starting a fire that damaged a Seattle dry storage boat rack and caused $8.5 million in damage in 2023.
Arthur Kemran Arakelov, 33, is expected to spend just over 13 months in prison for setting the fire near Lake Union in the Westlake neighborhood on March 22, 2023.
A jury previously found Arakelov guilty of two counts of second-degree burglary and one count of first-degree reckless burning on Oct. 22, 2024. Arakelov was found not guilty of first-degree arson.
During a hearing on Friday, Arakelov was sentenced to 16 months for the burglary conviction and six months for reckless burning, which will be served at the same time. Arakelov was given credit for serving 86 days in the King County Jail.
Arakelov was also ordered to pay restitution, which will be determined at a hearing.
On the night of the fire, Arakelov climbed to the third or fourth story of a dry storage boat rack where he used a “torch-style lighter” to light the fire, according to charging documents. Arakelov was captured on video climbing down and hiding on a boat in the water.
The facility was used by people storing their boats for a longer period of time.
Flames shot 70 feet in the air, and the blaze could be seen from miles away. More than 100 firefighters responded to fight the fire, which destroyed at least 58 boats and damaged at least 10 more.
“Carrying the right insurance coverage is not just a safeguard; it’s a crucial component of risk management for storage facility operators,” says Terry Campbell, Commercial Insurance Agent and Risk Advisory at Johnson Insurance.
“Ensuring you have comprehensive protection not only shields your business from unexpected events but also provides you with a peace of mind about your investment. Whether it’s Property and Casualty or self-storage specific coverages, having the right, tailored insurance solutions can make all the difference in recovering swiftly from incidents and maintaining trust within your community. Having the right agency to represent you is just as important to look out for your interests and to advocate for you.”
For more information, visit Johnson Insurance here.
