A 19-year-old from Honduras who is believed to be an illegal alien has been arrested and charged with setting a May 16 house fire in Morristown that displaced more than 20 people and sent one firefighter to the hospital, reports The Daily Record.
Fernando Inestroza , upset because he was turned away from a party at 50 Sussex Ave., next door to his apartment, set a fire in a plastic garbage can on a second-floor deck behind the house, according to an arrest affadavit. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated arson and another count of causing risk of widespread injury or damage, and is being held on $500,000 bail in the Morris County Jail.
Federal immigration authorities also have a detainer on the suspect.
Morristown authorities have lodged numerous complaints against the owner of the home, alleging that it had too many occupants.
Fire Capt. Jon Prachhauser and Patrolmen Kevin Beal and Teddy Jones were honored by the mayor and council Tuesday night for entering the burning house to evacuate more than 20 people.
“This incident could have had a very tragic outcome,” said Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi in a statement. “Not only for civilians, but also to the Police, Fire and emergency response staff that responded. I credit the arrest to the cooperative partnership that we have established and maintained with the Morristown Police Department and the aggressive investigative actions of both the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Morristown Police Department Detectives.”
