Kan. man faces trial on 5 felony counts for fire while making explosives

HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested by police in June after a fire and explosion at the Plaza Towers building, 17 East 2nd

Fire officials on the scene at the Plaza Towers on June 21

Avenue, in Hutchinson will face trial on January 21, on five felony counts.

Chase Coble is accused of three counts of aggravated arson and two counts criminal use of explosives. The first three counts are level three felonies with a maximum sentence on each count of over 20 years in prison.

Police say Coble was experimenting with toxic, volatile chemicals to make black powder to use in explosives when it got out of hand.

The fire and explosion caused significant damage to the apartment on the 12th

floor of the Towers building and also some damage to the apartment below.