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Firefighters Charged with Arson and Attempted Murder

Firefighters Charged with Arson and Attempted Murder - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 6:40PM EST

COLUMBIA COUNTY- Two volunteer firefighters have been arrested for setting fire to a Columbia County home while an elderly couple slept inside.
Police filed charges this morning against 31-year-old Kristen Strausser of Bloomsburg and 19-year-old Colton Barrett of Orangeville. Both are volunteers with Orangeville Community Fire Company and both are charged with setting house fires that could have ended in death.

Investigators say 19-year-old Colton Barrett is a repeat arsonist. They say his latest crime critically injured an elderly Fishing Creek Township couple.

Reuben and Pauline Albertson were both flown to a burn center. They had to be pulled from their burning home early Monday morning. Eyewitness News was there when firefighters remained on the scene. One of them who helped fight the fire was Barrett.

Another was Kristen Strausser -- the wife of Orangevillle Fire Chief Terry Strausser. She's not accused of setting the Albertsons' house on fire.

But investigators say she had a hand in torching Raymond Belles' home. He escaped with his cat from his burning house in Orange Township along Mount Pleasant Road in March.

The arrests shock the fire department's Second Assistant Chief, Adam Frey. "I can't believe it myself. I'm just... stunned. It's, it's breathtaking," he told Eyewitness News.

State police say Barrett is also linked to the Orange Township fire and yet another set Sunday night at the Robbins' family home in Orangeville on Draketown Road.

Frey tells Eyewitness News he had his suspicions. "I was thinking to myself there's something going on there's way too many fires what having. And it's always been in our, our coverage area where we've been having the big ones," he said.

Neighbors are also shocked that the two firefighters -- now accused arsonists -- would put people in danger. Al Keabo said, "I think a lot of them are just out for the glory, just to go to a fire and show that they can do it even if they did start it which doesn't make sense because they're supposed to protect the people, not try and kill them."

As the Albertsons cling to life in critical condition in a burn center, their daughter-in-law is trying to come to terms with the idea that someone would torch the couple's home. Jenny Albertson said, "It's the most awful thing in the world to think that somebody stood here, watched Dean try to pull his parents out of that fire and they stood there and they watched it. Sick."

Besides arson and attempted murder -- both Colton Barrett and Kristen Strausser also face burglary charges.

You may remember Barrett was previously charged with stealing thousands of dollars in equipment from other volunteer fire departments and selling the stuff on e-bay.

PA State Police will hold a news conference this afternoon to talk about the arrests -- and of course Eyewitness News will be there and have much more tonight on Eyewitness News Live at 5.
 


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