Tukwila fire Lt. Philip Scott Lyons was charged Tuesday with attempted first-degree arson, a felony. He remains free pending arraignment Oct. 19 in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Lyons, 48, would not comment when reached Tuesday at his home by The Seattle Times.
Prosecutors wrote in court documents that police and fire officials were told cardboard had been set on fire at the rear of Lyons' house in Mountlake Terrace, a suburb between Seattle and Everett, about 11:30 p.m. Aug. 10.
The motive remains unclear, Mountlake Terrace Police Chief Scott Smith said.
Lyons, a 25-year veteran firefighter, was arrested Aug. 27 and placed on administrative leave until Friday, when he was allowed back to work but limited to administrative duties.
Lyons is not in uniform and will do no fire prevention or fire investigation work, Tukwila Fire Chief Nick Olivas said Tuesday.
``Those of us who have worked with Phil and known him so long maintain the position that he is innocent unless proven guilty,'' Olivas said. ``He hasn't been convicted of anything, and we are using his skills and expertise to get some things done in our department.''
Lyons reported the fire to authorities, put the fire out with a garden hose and told investigators he had been working on his home computer when his wife noticed the flames, deputy prosecutor James Townsend wrote.
A police dog, summoned to track the culprit, went to the home's front door, Townsend wrote.
Investigators found the charred remains of a napkin and a fire starter in a Safeway wrapper stuffed into the framing of the house.
Lyons said he had never bought a fire starter at Safeway, but records showed some had been purchased with the family's Safeway Club Card in July, the prosecutor wrote.
