SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A relative of two women seriously injured in an early morning house fire in Mira Mesa has been arrested on attempted murder and arson charges, officials said Thursday.
Thongsavath Sphabmixay, 43, was spotted leaving the home in the 11200 block of Featherhill Lane just after the fire. He was taken into custody when he returned to the scene a short time later.
Sphabmixay is the older woman's son and the younger woman's brother.
THIS IS A STORY UPDATE. Read below for an earlier story.
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Two women are in critical condition, after being rescued from an early morning house fire in Mira Mesa.
A mother, 69, and her 48-year-old daughter were found in an upstairs bathroom at a house in the 11200 block of Featherhill Lane. The fire was reported around 1:30 a.m. Thursday and after fire crews arrived on scene they found a mother and daughter in a bathroom on the second floor. They were suffering from smoke inhalation and were immediately transported to local hospitals.
Firefighters then knocked down the blaze in about a half-hour, according to a San Diego fire-rescue dispatcher.
The fire has been ruled suspicious and the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation.
"The nature of where the fire started and then some of the witness statements in terms of what they saw, when they first discovered the fire, led us to believe that it wasn't an accidental fire," said Lt. Jorge Duran with the San Diego Police Department.
Detectives are waiting for a warrant to continue their investigation inside the home and are also questioning a relative and other possible suspects.
News 8 has been told that one of the women may not survive.