A 16-year-old boy is facing possible charges for starting a fire at a Clarksburg apartment building Saturday that left two residents and two firefighters hospitalized and killed three pets. The fire also displaced 43 people whose apartments were damaged or destroyed by the fire.
Assistant Chief Daniel Ogren with Montgomery County Fire and EMS said Saturday that investigators quickly determined the fire was no accident.
“After talking to the suspect, they made the decision to go ahead and charge that suspect with numerous crimes,” Ogren said.
Few details about the charges have been released, and the boy’s name is being withheld because he is a minor.
During his Tuesday media briefing, Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich revealed the teen had been in trouble for “two previous, similar incidents of fire setting” before being accused of setting the fire in Clarksburg.
Elrich said the Department of Juvenile Services released the boy after the first two fires. He expressed anger that the boy was released to his parents again after being questioned and named a suspect in the Clarksburg fire.
“If you just simply return them to an environment where they weren’t able to get any help, even when the parents tried to get them help, all you’re doing is making this situation worse,” Elrich said.
WTOP has reached out the Department of Juvenile Services for comment.
On Wednesday, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office said after prosecutors “filed motions in court,” a judge made the decision to detain the boy.
While he said he is unable to speak about this case specifically, Ogren said the department supports steps being taken, which could include detention, to prevent a suspected arsonist from committing another act in the future.
“Our main goal is to try and get these people identified and into the system in one shape or another, so that they can get the help that they need and, ultimately, protect the citizens of Montgomery County,” Ogren said.
He said the bottom line with this fire is the department is thankful no one was killed.
“It could have very easily been much, much worse, given the seriousness of this fire,” he said.