Juvenile Charged In Connection With 4 'Suspicious' Fires In Kittanning
KITTANNING (KDKA) -- A juvenile is facing charges in connection with four fires Kittanning police and fire crews called suspicious.
Police say thanks to tips, they were able to charge a juvenile male in the fires. Police say they believe he acted alone.
Around 6:45 Monday morning, Kittanning's Assistant Fire Chief Mike Schwartz said a neighbor started pounding on his door to alert him to one of the fires.
"When I come out the back door, and come down the alley, I confirmed the fire and nobody had been dispatched yet so I called 911," he said while investigating.
Fire crews believe the four fires were not an accident.
"I think somebody had walked through. Probably had some intention and made a round," Assistant Chief Schwartz said.
Police said garbage and debris were set on fire at two homes on Woodward Avenue and Hawthorne Avenue.
"It's insane," neighbor George Smicklo said. "It makes no sense why someone would go around starting fires."
Only one home had anyone inside. She was able to make it out okay, so no one was injured. She lost her cats in the flames.
"She was able to get out quick because the fire started outside underneath real quick," Assistant Chief Schwartz said.
"What's going through your head?" Smicklo questioned. "Why would you want to do that to innocent people you don't even know? Pretty sad that you want to go and set fires on people that you don't even know."
To the people that did this, the community has a message for you.
"These people setting fires have to realize that they're responsible, not just for the fire starting but anything that happens on to, they will be charged," Kittanning Fire Chief Earl Kline said.
"There's nothing funny about it. There's really not," Smicklo said from his front porch.