Man sentenced to 15 years in arson that hurt 7 firefighters

DETROIT (AP) -- A man convicted of setting a fire that paralyzed one Detroit firefighter and injured six others has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Thirty-one-year-old Samson Wright pleaded guilty in May to malicious use of fire in the 2010 blaze at a commercial building on Detroit's east side. Detroit U.S. District Judge John Corbett O'Meara sentenced him Wednesday. The U.S. attorney's office took on the case because the fire happened in a building that housed a wireless phone store engaged in interstate commerce. The firefighters were hurt when bricks and debris fell on them. One is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. A jury convicted co-defendant Calvin Jones in July. He faces up to 40 years in prison when he's sentenced Nov. 30. Published: Thu, Nov 17, 2011