By Associated Press
Warner,OK – Arson fire damages Warner arena
WARNER, Okla. (AP) State fire officials say a blaze that heavily damaged an all-purpose arena in Warner was deliberately set.
The fire erupted at the RangeLine Arena before dawn on Tuesday. The flames were so intense, they burned through the metal roof and warped the beams of the 46,400 square-foot building, which hosts everything from motorcycle races to rodeo events.
Assistant State Fire Marshal Joan Sellers says the fire was arson. The Muskogee County Sheriff's office is investigating.
Officials say someone painted in big letters on the side of the arena "Tex BURN me BURN u."
"Tex" is the nickname for Ron Stewart, whose father, Ronald Stewart, recently sold the arena.
Present owner Mike Johnson estimated the loss at hundreds of thousand of dollars.
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Information from: Muskogee Phoenix, http://www.muskogeephoenix.com