Prosecutors charge Thu Hong Nguyen with arson and murder for Independence Ave. blaze that killed two firefighters

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Investigators believe the owner of a nail salon that burned along with the rest of a building on Independence Avenue on October 12 intentionally started the fire.

Thu Hong Nguyen, 43, faces charges of arson and murder; she is being held on $2 million bond.

Around 7:30 the evening of October 12, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a massive building fire on the 2600 block of Independence Avenue. As flames consumed the structure, which included ground-floor retail and 16 apartment units above, an exterior wall collapsed, killing two firefighters — John Mesh and Larry Leggio — and injuring two others.

Authorities believe they have evidence from a scientific investigation, as well as surveillance footage from nearby businesses, that show Nguyen set fire to LN Nail Salon and Spa just before she left the business for the night, at about 7:15 p.m.

A court database did not indicate whether Nguyen has hired or been appointed an attorney. The charges against her haven’t been tested in court.

According to an affidavit submitted by an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Nguyen gave inconsistent and evasive statements to investigators about who accompanied her as she left the nail salon for the night. The affidavit says that the last customer left the Nguyen’s salon shortly before 7 p.m. the day of the fire. It adds that Nguyen, based on surveillance footage, was alone in the business and was the last person to leave the building. The same footage shows the first visible signs of a fire about 10 minutes after her departure.

Investigators also discovered that Nguyen had purchased four bottles each of acetone and isopropyl alcohol, both highly flammable liquids but also products commonly used in nail salons.