Arson caused fire that destroyed Rolando McClain’s Alabama home

An Alabama state fire marshal has ruled that arson caused the fire that burned down Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain’s home in December.

Ed Paulk released a statement Friday about his department’s ruling, although no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.

The release read, in part, that the fire that gutted McClain’s home was determined to be “intentionally set.”

The fire occurred on Dec. 22, and at the time the home was listed for sale at $1.5 million. Initial reports suggested the fire was “suspicious,” as a witness saw a vehicle speeding away from the scene that night.

Paulk’s statement encouraged anyone with information on this situation to contact the Alabama arson hotline at 1-800-654-0775 or online at www.firemarshal.alabama.gov.

McClain called the incident “a tough situation” during the season.

“This is your home,” McClain said on Jan. 2. “I don’t know if anybody here has ever lost a home, but it’s just a tough situation. It is what it is. You get your emotions together, get everything back together and put it towards football.”

The 25-year-old resurrected his career with the Cowboys last season, becoming one of the best players on the defensive side. He’ll become a free agent on March 10 and both the Cowboys and his representatives have expressed an interest in keeping the partnership together going forward.

This story was originally published February 13, 2015 at 10:04 PM with the headline "Arson caused fire that destroyed Rolando McClain’s Alabama home."