Pocono News Section

Suspect Identified in Scranton Apartment Building Arson

Suspect Identified in Scranton Apartment Building Arson - Friday, February 19, 2010 at 6:06PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Friday, Feb 19, 2010 @ 06:06pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Scranton fire officials say they now know who set a fire that forced 14 people from their homes this week.

Investigators say the suspect is one of the people who lived in the apartment building on East Market Street. According to court papers, the city's fire marshal identifies the suspect as 18-year-old Victor Morales. They say he used a stove to light a shirt on fire. The blaze destroyed his building and the one next door.

"There's always been trouble in that house," neighbor Kathy Boots. "It just seems like that place kinda attracts that."

The fire broke out around 8:00 AM Tuesday morning.

Bill Ferraro runs a barber shop just down the street and was one of the first people on the scene.

"Somebody could have died. The one kid had to jump out the second story window just to survive it," Ferraro said. "People could have died. It could have been a terrible situation."

According to investigators, Victor Morales, the accused arsonist has mental health issues. He lived on the second floor of the building with his family. He had talked about setting a fire and had previously burned the back of his neck with cigarettes.

"There's different situations happening in different homes and we don't know what is going on in their homes and you feel bad for that person because emotionally they're not okay," neighbor Araceli Rios said.

Besides the building that burned, the one next door was also heavily damaged. Both buildings are currently condemned.

The teen who jumped from the building, Anthony Espirito, broke his foot and was burned. Two firefighters were also injured.

"That's scary having an arsonist living right there," Boots said. "I'm glad they got him. That's for sure."