Former Union Twp. Volunteer Firefighter Arrested For Arson
UNION TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A former volunteer firefighter from Lawrence County has been arrested, accused of setting a fire at a vacant home and then coming back to the scene to help put it out.
A vacant house once stood on the now vacant lot in the 1200-block of West State Street in Union Township. It was destroyed by an arson-related fire.
One of the men accused of starting the fire is 19-year-old Darrin Haught, who is a former volunteer firefighter with Union Township.
"I can't imagine someone even thinking... You're going to become a firefighter and this is what you want to do. It just makes me sick to my stomach," said another former volunteer firefighter.
The former firefighter, who did not want to be identified, helped fight the fire last July.
He says the thought of a volunteer firefighter intentionally starting a fire goes against everything he was taught and believes.
"Knowing the risk on the job, it's dangerous as it is, and you got kids setting fires in the department, setting fires for us to go risk our lives. I risked my life with this fire," the former firefighter said.
Authorities say Haught confessed to starting the fire with two adults and a juvenile.
He told investigators they put a backpack in a hole in the wall, doused it with lighter fluid and set it on fire.
Haught reportedly left the scene, waited for his pager to go off, and then responded to the call.
Authorities say Haught also confessed to staring a fire at a neighbor's garage across the street from his house. The fire caused minimal damage. But the 19-year-old said he went home, called 911, and then drove to the station to respond to the fire.
Joe Habib, a neighbor, was surprised by Haught's arrest.
"I know Darrin, he's been over here a few times helping me out. He's a good kid from what I can see," said Habib.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
