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Police: Man Facing Arson Charges Claims He Was Following Cat When Fire Broke Out

JEANNETTE (KDKA) -- There's not much left of 133 North Third Street in Jeannette.

The city tore it down after police say Jason John set it on fire.

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(Photo Provided)

"Guy comes walking up the street, had a brown bottle on the side, come walking up, sat down between the two houses," said Lenny Lewis, a witness.

That's what Lewis says he saw April 2 when the fire took place.

Investigators are saying it was intentionally set from the get go, Lewis told authorities he knew who did it.

"Yeah, Jason Johns was the one who was sitting right there," he said.

Lewis says he watched John sit there for a couple minutes and then take off a few minutes later.

A few minutes later, the house was set on fire.

"Next thing you know, boom, you seen flames, they were high," he said.

When Jason Johns was initially questioned, he told investigators he was in the house after following a stray cat inside and he might have started the fire when he tossed a cigarette on a matters.

Lewis says the 40-year-old Jason Johns stopped by his house and threatened him.

"This past Sunday, he threatened by brother and us saying he was gonna come back and burn our house down with us in it," Lewis said. "Then he made the comment if we went down to where his mother lived that he'd kill all of us."

John is wanted on arson charges and Jeannette Police are asking you give them a call. As for the threat, Lenny Lewis says he's not losing any sleep over it.

"Come on, he's a punk."

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