Woman arrested for arson and theft after early morning Eugene house fire

Eugene, OR – Leticia Datu-Strong, also known as Rickie Potts, 40, was arrested and booked into Lane County Jail on multiple charges following a house fire in the 1000 block of West 3rd Avenue early on June 20.

Datu-Strong faces three counts of Theft in the First Degree and one count of Arson in the First Degree, according to the Eugene Police Department.

Eugene Springfield Fire crews responded to the fire at approximately 1:18 a.m. Neighbors reported heavy flames coming from the roof of the residence, with possible occupants inside. Four engines, a ladder truck, and two chiefs responded to the scene.

Firefighters encountered intense heat and zero visibility upon entering the home and quickly determined the fire was too severe to operate inside safely. Crews withdrew and applied water from the exterior until the flames were controlled.

Once the main fire was knocked down, firefighters re-entered the building to complete a thorough search.

No victims—human or animal—were found, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by ESF Fire Marshals and the Eugene Police Department.