A Bellevue dentist is accused of burning boxes with protective medical masks and gear in an attempt to destroy his office even as local doctors scramble to get those supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was the second arson at the office in consecutive days, police allege.
Firefighters were first called to a fire at the suspect's A to Z Dental office at 1515 116th Ave NE in Bellevue on the afternoon of March 23, according to court documents. The office was part of a three-story building that housed 28 other businesses. There, they found three separate small fires burning in the office and the smell of accelerants, prosecutors said.
The flames were quickly doused and arson detectives spent the rest of the day investigating the fires.