Jun 17, 2013 3 min read

A Charleroi teenager was arrested Saturday by Charleroi Regional police after he and a 13-year-old Charleroi boy allegedly set fire to a vacant house last week on Washington Avenue.

Dominic James Wright, 18, of 604 Fallowfield Ave., and the younger boy are accused of breaking into 216 Washington Ave., about 6:15 p.m. Friday.

Neighbors called police after reportedly seeing two teenagers enter the home and then seeing smoke coming from the house. One of the neighbors gave police a description of the two and what they were wearing. She also heard one complain of a cut on his hand. Another neighbor reportedly gave the injured teen a bandage for the cut and was told it was caused by a piece of glass.

Police asked the 911 center to alert Monongahela Valley Hospital for any young man coming into the emergency room for treatment.

Charleroi fire Chief Robert Whiten called the state police fire marshal after finding a very noticeable burn pattern throughout the basement of the house. Police said it appeared there was a trail of gasoline through the basement, leading to a pile of matches. Damage was confined to the basement.

On Saturday, police were directed to the younger boy’s home. The boy reportedly admitted to police he and Wright had started a fire in the abandoned house. Wright was taken into custody after police, who had the boy in the cruiser on the way to the police station with his father to be interviewed, spotted Wright on Long Alley.

The boy told police he and Wright were walking around with nothing to do when they decided to walk down Washington. When they came to the abandoned house, he said Wright removed a screen from a basement window. The boy said he kicked the window, but only cracked it. Wright then kicked the window, breaking it, the boy said.

The two went into the house looking for anything of value that they could pawn, police said. The boy told police he cut his hand when he punched the broken window.

Wright reportedly broke open a jar containing matches, then grabbed a container labeled “kerosene” and spread it from the back of the basement to the door. Wright then reportedly lit a match.

The boy said the two left the house and tried, unsuccessfully, to get into the Columbus Hotel. The two then noticed the house was not on fire and returned to it. After discussing how to set a fire, the boy told police he tried to light the kerosene with a lighter.

The boy said Wright then took the lighter and was able to light the trail of kerosene. The two then left and tried unsuccessfully to enter the Atlas Building, said the boy.

When Wright was interviewed by police, he also reportedly admitted to his role in the fire.

Wright was arraigned before District Judge David Mark on two counts of arson and one count each of causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal trespass, corruption of minors and criminal mischief. He was placed in the Washington County jail on $50,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for June 26 in Central Court.