EAST WINDSOR: Teen faces arson charge

Police: Fire ignited after argument

By Staff Report
   EAST WINDSOR — Police charged a Conover Road teenager on Wednesday night with aggravated arson.
   Police accused him of setting his mother’s master bedroom closet on fire only hours earlier after a dispute.
   On Thursday, Lt. Richard Bernstein, investigative services commander of the East Windsor Police Department, said the boy, the oldest of three children, lived at the Conover Road residence along with his mother and two siblings.
   When officers arrived just after 2 p.m. June 13 they discovered that the area of the master bedroom was ablaze, according to a Police Department release on the incident.
   The residence sustained extensive fire damage to the master bedroom area before the fire was contained and extinguished by responding fire services, police said.
   No injuries were reported.
   ”Only the suspect was in the house,” Lt. Bernstein said, in reference to when the fire was started.
   Police said that the origin of the fire was determined to be a closet in the master bedroom and that lighter fluid had been used to accelerate the blaze.
   Police said the incident was found to be a result of an argument that took place at the residence.
   The 15-year-old charged with aggravated arson was committed to the Mercer County Youth Detention Center sometime after 8:30 p.m. June 13.
   Police listed emergency service units as responding: East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 1; East Windsor Volunteer Fire Company No. 2; Robbinsville Fire Company; Hightstown Fire Company; Plainsboro Fire Company’ West Windsor Fire Company; and East Windsor Rescue Squad District 1.