Fire-bomb thrown into Elkhart home

ELKHART, Ind. – Someone threw a Molotov cocktail through the window of a home on the 900-block of Carolyn Avenue around one in the morning on Tuesday.  Two people inside the bedroom described it as a mason jar filled with flammable liquid with a burning rag stuck to the top of it.  All four people inside the home made it out safely.

“My cousin and her boyfriend hollered at me, I threw on my shorts, grabbed my cell phone, I came downstairs, saw the fire, I ran outside and I immediately called 911,” described Chase Roberts who was in bed upstairs when the fire-bomb crashed through the downstairs window.

According to an Elkhart Fire Department report, the jar didn’t break when it landed and Robert’s cousin and her boyfriend attempted to put the fire out.  But, in the process the jar rolled under their bed and flames spread through the room.

“They (the flames) were pretty good sized, basically just contained in the one room thankfully,” Roberts described.  “The rest of the house is just smoke and water damage.”

The fire department estimated a total of $50,000 in damage to the home.

“I grew up in this house, it’s where I lived my whole life,” Roberts explained.  “It’s just really scary."

Firefighters found the jar inside the home under a bed, detectives are investigating the case and the jar has been sent to a lab.  Roberts said he has no idea who would want to hurt him or anyone else in the house.

“As far as I know, I don’t make anybody mad,” explained Roberts.  “I don’t have anybody that I would think would do something like this.”

But, Roberts is sure someone was targeting his home and believes the attack wasn’t random because whoever did it snuck up to the back of the house where they wouldn’t be seen.

“Somebody knew what they were doing because it was in between two houses, not like somebody just drove by and threw something at the house just for grins and giggles,” he explained.

Roberts says there is insurance on the home, but his concern is finding the person who started the fire.

“I just want to know why?  What I did or what any of us did? Why they deemed it necessary?” he asked.

Elkhart Police are asking for tips from the public to help solve the case.  Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-382-4628.  A reward of up to $5,000 is offered for any information that leads to an arrest.