Patrick Fanning Charged In Fire That Caused Thousands Of Dollars Of Damage At Sewell Goodwill Store
SEWELL, N.J. (CBS) -- The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office has released the name of the suspect arrested in connection with a fire at the Goodwill in Sewell, New Jersey. The suspect was identified as 56-year-old Patrick Fanning of Washington Township.
Fanning was charged with arson and aggravated assault due to injuries a volunteer firefighter suffered during the response. No one else was injured during the fire.
The fire broke out on Jan. 15 at the Hurfville-Cross Keys Road location, just after 4 a.m. Goodwill management says the fire caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
The Jan. 15 fire at @GoodwillNJ on Hurfville-Cross Keys Road in Sewell was arson, says the @GloucesterCoNJ Prosecutor's Office. Washington Township police arrested and charged a man with arson. Goodwill says the fire caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. pic.twitter.com/OetPAwmIMc
— Madeleine Wright (@MWrightReports) January 26, 2022
"All merchandise was damaged, either by the fire or by smoke," said Michael Shaw, Chief Operating Officer of Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia Inc.
Police say surveillance video shows Fanning walking toward the store and then walking away around 4 a.m. when the fire started.
The store has been closed for the last week-and-a-half and 30 employees were reassigned. This week, the Sewell location finally resumed accepting donations.
Fanning was arrested Tuesday and charged. He has been released pending further court action.
Anyone with additional information relevant to this investigation is encouraged to contact Det. Krystal Santiago of the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, at 856-384-5508, or Det. Jason Sims of the Washington Township Police Department, at 856-589-0330 ext. 1133. Information can also be e-mailed to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office at tips@co.gloucester.nj.us.