Neighbors say east Louisville man set his home on fire, watched it burn across the street
By Addie Meiners
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WLKY) — An east Louisville man is accused of setting his house on fire.
Abdul Al-Mousa is charged with second-degree arson after his home caught fire just after noon on Monday.
His neighbors in Forest Springs say they expected this.
The sight of burned windows and door frames is a sad one, but for them, it is also a sight of relief.
“This is an amazing neighborhood, and it’s a place I’d be happy to stay. It was just one rotten apple.”
“I mean, my gosh, it’s like I have my life back.”
Investigators say Al-Mousa intentionally set the fire.
Michael Ray, who lives nearby, says he is the one who called 911.
“I saw the fire in the garage and him standing maybe 15 feet in front of me, and I go, ‘Dude, did you just start that fire?’ And he looked at me and said, ‘Yes,’” Ray said.
According to the arrest citation, Al-Mousa not only admitted to using an oil-soaked rag on a stick to start the fire, but also told firefighters, “Let it go.”
Ray says he took video of the fire while Al-Mousa moved across the street to watch.
Ray and other neighbors say this is only the most recent issue Al-Mousa has had in the neighborhood over the past few years.
“He had a blowtorch walking through the house, a live chainsaw through the house, he’s in his front and back yard with a sword.”
Ray says video shows Al-Mousa and a city worker after his behavior was reported.
According to Metro 311’s website, Al-Mousa was reported 15 times over the past two years for erratic behavior, high grass and weeds, trash scattered across the yard, and rodents.
“He meant for us to be scared, and we were.”
One neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, says she feels like the system has failed both her neighborhood and Al-Mousa.
Records show he was previously in jail on domestic violence charges. A judge ordered him to receive mental health treatment and released him, but court records show he never sought treatment and continued living in his home, harassing his neighbors.
“There needs to be a different way of interpreting and handling that kind of behavior. But the police can’t do anything about it unless the laws change.”
We did speak with Al-Mousa’s estranged wife, who says she has repeatedly tried to get him mental health support, but he refused.
She says she asked the court to intervene, but has not had any success.
Al-Mousa is now being housed at Louisville Metro Corrections.
He’s set to be arraigned Wednesday morning.
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