Tenant faces arson charge

Two-family house damaged in blaze

By:Sally Goldenberg
   A resident of the two-family house on West Camplain Road that caught fire Monday night was charged with aggravated arson.
   According to Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest, Christopher J. Mullins, 29, intentionally set fire to his home on the upper level of 1419 West Camplain Road.
   Mr. Mullins was charged and, if found guilty, could face up to 10 years in prison and a $150,000 fine for the second-degree crime.
   "Preliminarily, it appears that the fire was arson and was intentionally set by igniting a blanket on the bed in the second-floor apartment," read the statement Mr. Forrest released on Tuesday.
   Mr. Mullins was the only tenant injured as a result of the blaze, according to the statement. He suffered from minor burns and smoke inhalation, leaving him disoriented. He was treated at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville.
   Manville Fire Official Barry Van Horn said the first-floor tenant, who was later identified as Tim Gawel, left the building uninjured and will make arrangements to temporarily relocate because the structure is unfit for occupancy.
   Only two residents — Mr. Mullins and Mr. Gawel — were home during the fire.
   Mr. Van Horn said the house sustained smoke and fire damage on the second floor and water damage on the first floor, once the fire was extinguished, which took between four and five hours.
   The Manville Police Department received a 911 call about the fire around 6:44 p.m. Monday, according to the prosecutor’s office statement.
   Firefighters from Manville, Hillsborough, Finderne and Somerville squads responded to the call.
   Frigid conditions made battling the fire difficult. Manville firefighter Andy Hando fractured his leg during the fire, Mr. Van Horn said.
   "It was extremely cold," he said. "It didn’t make it easy, I could tell you that."