Three Teen Delaware FF's Charged with Arson

[Guest]

A third volunteer firefighter from Marydel was arrested Wednesday in connection with a fire that was deliberately set Monday and, police believe, he helped extinguish with other fire company members.

Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Michael Chionchio said the 17-year-old, who was not identified because of his age, was charged with felony second-degree arson and conspiracy.

He was released in lieu of $6,000 bail.

The accused teen, who lives in Marydel, Del., had been a probationary member of the fire company for less than a year, Marydel Fire Chief Buffy Madden said.

On Tuesday, two other teenage Marydel firefighters were arrested on the same charges.

The pair, identified as William J. Hoffman, 18, of Marydel, Md., and a 16-year-old from Marydel, Del., were charged Tuesday with second-degree arson and conspiracy.

Hoffman was released on $7,000 bail. The 16-year-old, who was released to the custody of his parents, was not named because of his age.

All three suspects have been suspended from the company and are expected to be expelled pending a decision by the board of directors, Madden said.

The charges stem from a fire that happened around 9 p.m. Monday -- deliberately set inside a vacant storage shed on Taraila Road at Strauss Avenue, near the company's firehouse.

When Marydel firefighters arrived, the shed was engulfed in flames, Chionchio said.

Madden said the trio joined firefighters in battling the blaze, which caused an estimated $1,000 in damage.

An investigation by the state Fire Marshal's Office and Marydel fire officials concluded that the blaze was intentionally set inside the shed.

According to court records, a firehouse paramedic was interviewed following the fire and told investigators he "went into the bathroom followed shortly after by two other people."

Both of these subjects washed their hands and face, and the paramedic noticed "a strong odor of smoke coming from the two."

Ten minutes later, the fire alarm activated, according to court records. Contact Terri Sanginiti at 324-2771 or tsanginiti@delawareonline.com.

Republished with permission of The News Journal.

[Guest]

It begs to ask, do we have to do more educating to younger members on the seriousness of arson?

[ex-commish 490]

It begs to ask, do we have to do more educating to younger members on the seriousness of arson?

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Without a doubt and it starts with stiffer penalties.

[JohnnyOV 2]

It begs to ask, do we have to do more educating to younger members on the seriousness of arson?

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I doubt it...its been done by members over 18 before, and unfortunatly will be done again by both....lets not just single out the JR's if we are going to educate the firefighters about arson

[res6cue 67]

UGH, very few things get me more genuinely pissed off than firefighter arson.

While I think more education is definitely needed, starting with a solid Fire Prevention program in local school and enlisting the local media's help, some of this is or can also be a true mental sickness. Some people are just genuinely screwed up in the head and no amount of education, discouragement or penalties can or will stop them. I mean, when you take into account not just the actual sickness of pyromania, but any other mental disorder like antisocial disorder...or just the fact that some people are morons or thrill seekers or have the "I wanna be a hero!" complex...well, you get the point.

We can try to screen applicants as best we can, but sometimes even that isn't enough to uncover everything. Sadly, I'm all too intimately familiar with it, having had one of our own long time members convicted of felony arson charges and also knowing a guy from a neighboring dept that was thrown out many years ago for calling in false alarms so he could drive the truck to them.