HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Saline County man convicted of aggravated arson in connection with the fire at the Plaza Towers in Hutchinson was ordered to prison for five years and five months by District Judge Trish Rose.

Chase Coble was arrested and originally charged with three counts of arson and two counts of criminal use of explosives. Those charges were dismissed during the trial.

The fire happened when Coble was said to be experimenting with plastic and chemicals when it got out of hand. Police say he had the chemicals to make the black powder used in explosives. Coble claims he was trying to bond metals and plastic when chemicals spilled, causing a fire.

This occurred in his 12th-story apartment, causing damage to that apartment, but also setting off the sprinkler system, causing damage in other apartments.

The state contended this wasn’t the first time. On at least three occasions, he mixed chemicals and caused fires in his apartment.

Coble, who is from the Salina area, was attending Hutchinson Community College at the time of the explosion and fire.

The defense asked for a new trial and judgment of acquittal, but was denied. The defense then asked for departure sentence and community corrections. That was also denied, as was a request for a smaller sentence. Judge Rose says she couldn’t find any substantial or compelling reason to depart.

Coble was immediately taken into custody to begin serving the sentence.