Man reports second fire

The Daily Inter Lake

A man who suffered minor burns in a reported gasoline attack Friday was the subject of another fire call early Monday morning.

Alvin Matthews, 35, reported Friday that a man came to his home, splashed him with gasoline and set him on fire. He went to the hospital with minor injuries to his chest.

On Monday at about 12:30 a.m., someone reported a possible structure fire on Third Street West where Matthews lives.

The Kalispell Fire Department responded with a general alarm.

When firefighters arrived, they found no structure fire, but Matthews' car was engulfed in flames.

"Damage was extensive on the inside of the car," said F. Ray Ruffatto of the fire department's prevention division.

"There is nothing that led us to believe it's accidental," Ruffatto said.

The fire appeared to start in the front passenger compartment.

The older-model Oldsmobile station wagon hadn't been running, so officials don't believe the fire was mechanically caused, Ruffatto said.

The fire is under investigation by the fire department and Kalispell Police Department.

Matthews on Friday described his assailant as about 6 feet tall and in his late 30s. He has brown hair, glasses and a goatee, Matthews said.

He said he doesn't know who his assailant was.