Don Norwood pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree arson for a fire that destroyed his family’s home and severely injured a Buffalo firefighter.

Norwood, 49, could be sentenced to 12 years in prison on his pre-indictment guilty plea for the fire he set early on the morning of July 28, State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia told him.

Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 13.

Prosecutor Stephen J. DiLorenzo told the judge the second-degree arson charge is the highest charge a grand jury could have lodged against Norwood for setting fire to his family’s home after a male friend of one of his daughters beat him up.