‘My wife is a cheater’ found scrawled on burning home

DENVER — Fire crews responding to reports of an explosion at a suburban Denver home early on Tuesday found the residence engulfed in flames with “my wife is a cheater” scrawled on the structure, authorities said.

Deanna Harrington, spokeswoman for the Arvada Fire Protection District, said crews were dispatched to the home at about 1:30 a.m. and encountered an intense fire.

“Flames were coming from both the front and back of the structure, and crews had to use a defensive strategy,” Harrington said, adding that the message was spray-painted in capital letters on two sides of the building.

All of the occupants were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries, Harrington said.

The Arvada Police Department said an initial investigation indicated that the fire was intentionally set. It said in a statement that one resident, 31-year-old William Lindauer, was booked into custody for first degree arson and other related charges, but did not elaborate.

Harrington said crews found debris in the front yard and in the street, leading fire officials to believe that an explosion had occurred inside the house, which sustained heavy damage.

The source of the explosion and the cause of the blaze are under investigation, she said.