Update: Kaplan man accused of nine arson fires in the city

Posted: Feb 4, 2012 5:00 PM
Source: Kaplan Police
Updated: Feb 4, 2012 5:00 PM

A 55-year-old Kaplan man is facing 12 counts of arson, including the fire at the vacant Kaplan Rice Mill.

The break came this morning when the Kaplan Fire Department responded to a fire at a vacant home on West 10th street at 2:16 this morning.

The State Fire Marshal's Office, Kaplan Police Department and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office have over the past nine months been operating a special task force to investigate a series of suspicious fires dating back to 2007. These fires have primary involved vacant and older unused buildings in the city.

Police say surveillance video showed Felician Joseph "Fish" Primeaux at the scene of this morning's fire. He is accused of setting fires to nine buildings; three buildings were set multiple times. Primeaux was booked into the Vermilion Parish Jail and is being held on a $300,000.00 bond.

State Fire Marshal Browning stated, "I commend Chief Boyd Adams and Sheriff Michael Couvillon for their full support and highly professional personnel who played the critical role of sticking with this investigation as we have now solved the mystery. This investigation had the personal involvement of Senator Jonathan Perry; he ensured all the state's resources were committed. The people of Kaplan should be proud of its public officials for their passion and dedication."