HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury trial for a man accused of setting fire to an apartment at Plaza Towers continued Wednesday in Reno County District Court.
Chase Coble faces three counts of aggravated arson and two counts of criminal use of explosives. Testimony Wednesday included that of Lt. Michael Torres of the Sedgwick Co. Fire Department, who told
of the tests that were done inside Coble’s apartment after the fire. Tests showed various chemicals that Torres said could be used to make explosives. He even called the apartment a homemade explosives lab. Torres did admit under cross-examination several chemicals that could be used in making explosives or gunpowder were not present.
The fire happened when Coble was said to be experimenting with plastic and chemicals when it got out of hand. Police say he had the chemicals to make black powder to use in explosives. Coble claims he was trying to bond metals and plastic when chemicals spilled, causing a fire.
The chemicals he had were all toxic and volatile, according to authorities.