Student arrested on arson charge

An arson attempt at St. Helens Court was foiled early Monday morning, according to The Oregonian and local television outlets.

Firefighters responded to a call at 4:20 a.m., but a resident had already put the fire out by the time they arrived. The firefighters stayed to reset fire alarms and remove smoke from the building.

The Oregonian reported that the arson attempt caused more than $10,000 in damage. The paper also reported that a witness identified Paul Rowley, 31, a Portland State student and building resident who was arrested on suspicion of arson in the first degree, a crime that has a minimum sentence of 90 months.

Burned newspapers and phone books were found in the stairwell between the first and second floors, one of two fire escapes, according to the paper.