HAGERSTOWN, Md. – A 20-year-old Hagerstown man has been charged with arson after authorities say he deliberately set a trash can on fire, causing flames to spread to the front porch of a home Sunday afternoon.
Fire crews were called to 428 Mitchell Avenue around 12:40 p.m. on Sept. 21, where they quickly extinguished the blaze. No injuries were reported, but investigators with the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was intentionally set.
Witness statements led deputies to identify Brandon Gaither as a suspect. Hagerstown police officers located him a short time later near Winter and Church streets, where he was taken into custody.
According to investigators, Gaither admitted during questioning that he started the fire. He has been charged with second-degree arson and second-degree malicious burning. Court records show he was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance following a hearing before a District Court Commissioner.
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Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray praised the swift response of local fire and police units, crediting their work with preventing injuries and quickly resolving the case.
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Key Points
- Firefighters extinguished a blaze that spread from a trash can to a porch on Mitchell Avenue.
- Investigators say Brandon Gaither, 20, admitted to setting the fire.
- Gaither was charged with arson and released after a court hearing.