The Orange Park Fire Department suspects arson in a fire that caused $35,000 in damage at a church early Sunday morning. The church was closed and no one injured in the fire at Island View Baptist Church at 900 Park Ave., according to a news release.

http://liarcatchers.com/arson_investigation.html

Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at about 3:40 a.m. Sunday and found the Sunday-school building filled with smoke, with multiple broken windows and furniture on fire, the report said. The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes.

Authorities suspect arson, and an individual found hiding in a courtyard outside the building was arrested by the Orange Park Police Department. The local and state fire marshals are investigating.

GIRARDVILLE – A fire that heavily damaged two homes early Saturday was arson.

“This is a set fire,” said state police fire marshal Trooper Michael Yeity of the blaze that started to the rear of unoccupied homes at 201-203 B St.

Yeity is working with Girardville fire Chief Frank Zangari Jr. and borough police to bring the arsonist to justice.

Yeity said someone lit the fire at a shed behind the properties and flames spread from there.

http://liarcatchers.com/arson_investigation.html

Although the fire marshal said the fire was set at the western side of the shed, he did not elaborate on the exact cause.

Firefighters were called about 12:15 a.m. for a shed fire but borough police Officer in Charge John Borchick arrived within minutes and reported flames spread to the homes.

Borchick said there was heavy fire to the rear of both homes when he got there.

He was at the police station two blocks away completing paperwork when he received the call about the fire, and he had no trouble finding where to go.

“I could see the flames when I left the station,” Borchick said. “The whole back was blazing.”

Both Yeity and Borchick said the investigation into the blaze is continuing.

Earlier in the morning, Borchick said one man was taken into custody for questioning about the fire but no arrests had been made.

Zangari said firefighters quickly knocked down flames to the rear of the building and were able to keep the damage to the two vacant structures.

Firefighters from Ashland and Shenandoah brought their aerial devices to the scene to assist with ventilating the roof of the 201 B St. home and helped battle the blaze.

Zangari credited firefighters with containing the fire despite all the homes having a common attic through which the flames could have spread.

“The firefighters did an outstanding job,” he said. “They kept it to the two vacant buildings despite the common attics.”

Zangari said one firefighter was injured, apparently suffering from smoke inhalation, and was treated at a local hospital and released.

In addition to the homes at 201-203 B St., homes on B Street, Vine Street and Ogden streets sustained heat damage to vinyl siding.

Steve Brozyno, who with his wife and son and daughter lives at 205 B St., said there was apparently minor smoke damage to their home.

Brozyno said he was at work then the fire was discovered and that his family was able to get out of the home safely.

EMS units from Lost Creek, Frackville and Mahanoy City assisted at the scene along with borough fire police, who provided both traffic and crowd control.

An 18-year-old Hearne man investigators believe is linked to the death of ex-councilman Charles Workman is in the Brazos County Jail, accused of arson in the burning of Workman’s vehicle last Sunday night on Old San Antonio Road.

Workman, 63, was found dead in his Hearne home on Monday with a gunshot wound to his head.

Investigators believe that Kevin Aundrell Godfrey set fire to Workman’s white 2000 Jaguar the day before Workman’s body was discovered.

http://liarcatchers.com/arson_investigation.html

A probable cause statement for Godfrey’s arrest put him at the scene of the burning vehicle north of Texas 6 at Old San Antonio Road around 10:30 p.m. last Sunday when firefighters arrived.

Godfrey approached firefighters at the scene and requested that they give him a ride. He also approached a deputy at the scene and said that he had been left by his girlfriend at Denny’s Restaurant at Texas 6 and Harvey Mitchell Parkway and saw the emergency lights and thought he might get a ride, according to the statement.

Godfrey was arrested late Thursday night at the intersection of Dartmouth and Krenek Tap Road in College Station and booked into the Brazos County Jail early Friday morning.

Investigators spoke with a witness who said he had seen Godfrey with the Jaguar the night of Sept. 8 and that Godfrey had tried to sell the vehicle to him.

Investigators met with the witness again on Wednesday and were told that Godfrey had a gun in the waistband of his pants. Godfrey also told the witness that he had “just hit a lick,” meaning that he had robbed someone, according to the probable cause statement.

Police obtained further evidence on Wednesday of Godfrey’s connection to the burned vehicle from the Get-N-Go convenience store at Texas 21 and Harvey Mitchell Parkway in Bryan.

Security footage from the store on Sept. 8 showed a black male driving a white Jaguar at the location. Police identified the male as Godfrey and the vehicle as belonging to Workman.

An arson investigator with the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office determined that an accelerant was used in the interior of Workman’s Jaguar near or on the front passenger-side floorboard.

The Jaguar contained property belonging to Workman, including clothing, compact disks and paperwork, according to the probable cause statement.

Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk said Godfrey is a person of interest in the investigation of Workman’s death.

According to the Hearne Police Department, a preliminary autopsy indicated Workman’s death was a homicide.

Hearne detectives and Texas Rangers are investigating a link between Workman’s death and the arson.

Godfrey is charged with arson, a second-degree felony and is being held in the Brazos County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.