Dish-Houston

The press conference went something like this...

Alison Stein, chief investigator with the Houston arson bureau, said,

"As a result of the diligent work of the Houston arson investigators as well as the special agents from the ATF, we were able to get an arrest today."

Robert Carroll Gillham, a former Gallery Furniture employee, has been charged with first degree arson.

Stein explained,

"The charges were enhanced because there was an injury that an arson investigators sustained while investigating the fire, which enhanced the charges from second degree to first degree.

Although Gallery owner Jim McIngvale acknowledged familiarity with Gillham by name, he refused to discuss specifics about the man or his employment. (DISHIES...We've been in management before and that meand he was fired! OOHH bad choice of words, but you catch the drift)

The four-alarm fire happened in the evening of  May 21 and was eventually ruled to be a case of arson. Officials say they know where the fire was started in the warehouse, but they have not released that information to the public.

"These large fires are very difficult to solve because, quite frankly, they burn up a lot of the evidence," said Houston Fire Department Chief Phil Boriskie. "This was not just a good job. This was a great job solving this fire."

There were more than 100 people inside the warehouse and showroom when the fire started. Fortunately, everyone got out safely. The four-alarm blaze destroyed the warehouse, which was100,000 square feet in size. Houston firefighters were able to save the furniture store's showroom. YIPPPEEEEE HOUSTON'S FINEST!!!

"This large fire really touched the hearts of a lot of people in Houston because it involved Jim McIngvale, who's kind of an icon in this city," Chief Boriskie said.

Gillham is currently in custody on unrelated charges. He is being questioned by authorities.

(Um, wait. so does that mean he might not actually BE the arsonist?? OOHH can't wait to see how this plays out!)