Affidavit: Suspect admits setting Grapevine fire

A Grapevine man admitted setting a fire Thursday night that destroyed more than half the donations at GRACE, a faith-based community organization, according to an affidavit.

A day after the blaze, Zacharia Benali, 21, handed police a lighter that he used to start the blaze inside one of the portable buildings that burned down at the donation station, 112 N. Scribner St., according to the affidavit obtained by the Star-Telegram on Monday.

Benali was arrested Friday. He was one of two suspects in the case, fire and police officials said Monday. The second suspect was not in custody Monday, but detectives and fire officials say they have his identity.

The fire was reported shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, causing an estimated $75,000 damage to portable buildings, a shipping storage container and bins filled with donations. GRACE is a nonprofit relief agency that provides food, clothing, medical care, financial assistance, housing and other vital items to those in need.

Surveillance video at GRACE showed two people entering the secured fenced complex during a burglary. After awhile, a fire started in a portable building. Firefighters knocked down the flames in just over 10 minutes and no injuries were reported.

Just hours after the fire, a patrol officer observed two people in the area wearing clothes that matched the ones worn by the suspects in the surveillance video, according to the affidavit. Property taken from GRACE also was found near the suspects. At first, Benali denied setting the fire, but his cohort identified Benali as the arsonist, the affidavit stated.

The two were not taken into custody then, but Benali went to the Grapevine police station early Friday and admitted setting the fire, according to the affidavit.

Benali remained in the Grapevine Jail on Monday, facing a charge of arson. At the time of his arrest, Benali had an aggravated assault and two drug possession charges out of Grapevine pending against him, according to Tarrant County criminal court records.

GRACE officials have said that the donation station would be closed for several more days.

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 7:55 AM with the headline "Affidavit: Suspect admits setting Grapevine fire."