Father Denies Arson Allegations In House Fire

FOLSOM, Calif. (CBS13) -- A father accused of negligence and arson tearfully denied the accusations in a jailhouse interview and said he didn't abandon his kids to the flames.

Matthew Muir, 34, insisted he was trying to fight the fire that broke out at his home Saturday morning, completely engulfing the structure in flames and trapping his two young children inside.

"I didn't leave my kids inside. When I came out, I tried to get out to the back door," Muir said.

A quick thinking neighbor, Mark Carlisle, charged into the home when he saw the parents standing outside without their children and managed to drag both kids to safety despite suffering from smoke inhalation, officials said.

In an interview in the Sacramento County Main Jail, Muir said he "tried to prevent the <expletive> fire" and said a candle was the cause of the fire.

"It was late, like one in the morning, and I had been doing a little drinking," he said.

Muir also admitted to smoking methamphetamine the day before at a friend's house. "It wasn't like I was doing meth every day. I mean, I struggled every day to make sure I wasn't doing it," he said.

Muir said his children are his life and he will fight the charges of negligence, arson and violating his probation.

"The one thing that means anything to me is my family. My wife and my little girl and my little boy," Muir said.

Muir's wife, Britney Faulkner, is also facing charges of child endangerment. The children are in the custody of Child Protective Services.