WAPPINGER, N.Y. — A 34-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson following a deadly house fire in the Town of Wappinger that claimed two lives, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.
Deputies responded to the fire at 78 Marlorville Road around 6:30 p.m. on January 26. Once the fire was extinguished, first responders discovered the bodies of two victims inside the residence. Their identities have not yet been released.
Following an investigation, Robert J. Buda was taken into custody and accused of intentionally setting the fire. Authorities have assured the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
Buda has been charged with second-degree arson, a felony. He was arraigned in the Town of Wappinger Court and is being held at the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center on $500,000 cash bail or $1,000,000 bond.