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Junior volunteer firefighter, 17, arrested on arson charges in Penn Hills

PENN HILLS, Pa. — A junior volunteer firefighter has been arrested on arson charges in connection with several fires set in the Penn Hills area,

learned Monday.

Authorities said the 17-year-old has been linked to three fires that all gave off red flags for investigators.

The first occurred in June and involved several couches that were burned on a curb, the second was a dumpster fire on Frey Road and the third, a pallet fire, happened at a business in July.

“I noticed we started to have a rash of dumpsters, trash fires in a certain district,” Penn Hills Fire Marshal Chuck Miller said.

Miller said his investigation led to Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Station 226, which is down the road from one of the fires. The 17-year-old junior firefighter was arrested and charged with arson last week.

Since the accused arsonist is a minor, no further details were released.

Miller, however, said the investigation is ongoing.