Lewiston man charged with arson after disturbance, house fire on Libby Avenue

Arson suspect arrested after Lewiston home fire on Libby Avenue

A 38‑year‑old man was taken into custody on Tuesday in Auburn after police investigated a disturbance and a suspicious fire at a Lewiston residence on 14 Libby Avenue. Treven Stoops, listed as a transient in the Androscoggin County Jail, faced a new arson charge in addition to earlier domestic‑violence and evidence‑tampering allegations.

The sequence of events began on Sunday when Lewiston officers responded to a disturbance at the Libby home. The next day, just after 7 p.m., firefighters were called to a blaze that quickly spread to the upper floor. No occupants were injured, though the blaze claimed the lives of several pet birds, according to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s office.

While the fire was being extinguished, officers scoured the property for Stoops. “Because the fire’s origin was suspicious, we notified the fire marshal and he joined the investigation,” a Lewiston police spokesperson said. The fire remains under investigation, the Department of Public Safety’s public‑information officer, Shannon Moss, added.

The man was apprehended early Tuesday morning in Auburn on charges that include domestic violence aggravated assault, obstruction of an injury report and falsification of physical evidence. In the afternoon, the Office of the State Fire Marshal filed an arson charge against Stoops. His bail was set at $5,000, and he is scheduled for an initial court appearance later this week.

Police have not disclosed the details of the Sunday disturbance, but the timing of the arrest suggests authorities were keen to secure the suspect before any further incidents could occur.

The 14‑unit building on Libby Avenue has since been cleared of the fire, and investigators are still piecing together how the blaze started. Residents in the area are advised to remain alert and report any suspicious activity.