Arson Blamed For Early Tuesday Morning Tulsa House Fire

Tuesday, December 12th 2006, 5:51 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa fire investigators set the record straight about an early Tuesday morning house fire. Rumors spread like wildfire in a Tulsa neighborhood, where first responders found a note on the front door of a burning home.

Tulsa Fire officials say the note contained racial slurs, prompting talk that the arson fire was racially motivated.

News on 6 anchor Tami Marler spoke with the woman who lived in the house in the 5100 block of North Garrison and she says she's the one who left the note, but this was no hate crime.

Christy Cantrell tells the News on 6 someone had broken into her home and stolen some of her property Monday afternoon. She's in the process of moving and spent Monday night in her new home, so she left a note on the door, just in case the thieves came back. "It wasn't intended for my neighbors or anyone else. It's not a hate crime. Not on my end."

Tulsa Fire investigator Chief Mike Bailey: "It more or less said, 'quit stealing my stuff, and stay out of my house.'"

Arson investigators confirm this was not a hate crime but they are looking at the connection between this fire and Cantrell's prior break-in.

If you have any information that might help you can call 596-2776.