Arson as a way to battle foreclosure

This is an alarming bit of news but it was to be expected. CNN is reporting that arson fires are on the increase among home owners that are close to or in foreclosure. The home owners are seeing arson as a way out. I personally cannot see it that way. If your house burns down you still owe money on the property. I don't see how burning your house down can get you out of that debt. On the other hand they are just going to walk away with the money from the insurance fraud and leave the heap of cinders to the mortgage company. Of course the home owners do not realize that the mortgage company can still come after them for the rest of the money owed depending on the local state laws. Here is a link to the CNN story. Will foreclosures spark an arson boom?