Pa. Homeowner Bails Out Fire Official Accused of Torching His Residence firehouse/news/11753623/former-pa-fire-president-charged-with-torching-house-in-wilkes-barre A defunct fire company treasurer and former president -- accused of attempting to burn down the residence of another firefighter and friend -- was a scapegoat for a vengeful neighbor, the defense claimed at a hearing Tuesday. Joseph Powers, 42, of the Independence Fire & Rescue Company No. 1 in Rice Township, was arrested Oct. 8 for arson and reckless burning for setting fire to 87 Holland St., Wilkes-Barre, a residence owned by Wright Township firefighter Chris Krout. Krout came out to Powers preliminary hearing Tuesday morning with his attorney, Larry Kansky, to support his friend. The day after Powers was arrested, Krout posted $100,000 straight cash bail through a bondsman to get his friend out of the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, according to Kansky. Krout posted bail the next day because he feels Mr. Powers is completely innocent of these charges, Kansky said. Krouts and Powers attorneys instructed them not to comment to the media. Powers attorney, Tom Marsilio, claimed a Holland Street resident, the one prosecutors said called 911 to report the fire, had a contentious relationship with Krout that stemmed from Krout refusing to rent out his property to him. He alleged the resident set fire to the home he was denied to send a message to Krout and used Powers as a scapegoat for arson since he had been working there. Neither the resident nor his two friends, who prosecutors said witnessed Powers leaving the burning residence, testified at the hearing. Investigators said, however, the evidence points to Powers and Magisterial District Judge Rick Cronauer agreed there was enough to forward the charges to Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas. Assistant District Attorney Frank McCabe said Powers placed himself leaving the residence four minutes before the neighbor reported the fire, so if a vengeful neighbor in fact lit the fire, he would have had to been the Speedy Gonzales of a arsonists. Wilkes-Barre Detective Robert Simonetti testified that Powers admitted using a torch in the basement shortly before the fire, witnesses saw Powers leaving the residence shortly before the fire and that the fire had four points of origin. City police and its fire department responded to the residence around 11 p.m. July 19 after two witnesses saw Powers hurry into a van and hit the accelerator before he shifted it into gear, according to investigators. Moments later the witnesses said smoke detectors sounded and smoke came from inside and a neighbor called 911, investigators said. While police were still on scene, Powers returned and witnesses identified him as the suspect. He told police he only returned to the scene because he forgot to lock up the residence and close the windows, which had been open to air out bug fumigation from the day before. An investigation revealed all four points of the fire were incendiary. Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department Capt. Robert Suchoski said it appeared a torch was used to set two parts of the floor joists on fire. In a written statement to police, Powers said he was using a blowtorch while working in the basement. He said he was positive he had turned the torch off before leaving, but investigators testified to firefighters finding the torch with its gas valve fully open next to a pile of wood, which was a third point of origin. It was not clear if the torch was lit when firefighters extinguished the burning wood pile. The fires last point of origin was in the first floor closet, where firefighters found a burning roll of paper towels. Simonetti said he interviewed Powers about what might have caused the fire, but Powers had no explanation. Asked whether someone asked him to set the fire or if he became excited by starting fires, Powers said neither and ended the interview.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:10:05 +0000
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