Volunteer firefighter accused of setting car on fire in Delaware County

COLWYN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A volunteer firefighter in Delaware County is accused of setting a car on fire last week.

It happened along the 400 block of South 2nd Street in Colwyn on Thursday.

Pennsylvania State Police arrived at the scene and found a vehicle engulfed in flames.

That's also where they met 18-year-old Abner Roberts.

"When police rolled up, they saw him trying to put out the fire with the garden hose. He left the scene, troopers later came by to interview him, and he admitted that he set fire to that vehicle," said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

While Roberts was being processed, authorities discovered he was a volunteer firefighter with the Yeadon Fire Company.

Action News spoke with the mayor of Colwyn, who says he is heartbroken the suspect in this case is so young.

"I hope it's not true. For a stranger to come into Colwyn and start a fire, we don't need this kind of stuff in our borough," said Mayor Maurice Clark.

Investigators are now looking to see if the suspect may be connected to other recent fires in the community.

One incident being investigated is a fire that broke out outside Stephen Walton's home.

The blaze occurred a few doors down and just two days before the SUV fire.

"There were several trash cans lit on fire. The trash cans melted all the way down to the ground, which could've caught the porch and also spread to other homes," said Walton.

Stollsteimer says that as of Monday night, investigators have yet to determine the motive.

"To voluntarily come forward and say, 'I want to be a firefighter,' and then we have to arrest him for having started a fire intentionally? And risking a catastrophe?" Stollsteimer questioned.

Roberts has been charged with arson, reckless endangerment, and risking a catastrophe.

He remains behind bars Monday night on a $75,000 bail.

Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the police.