A South Buffalo man who has volunteered as a firefighter in Allegheny Township is accused of intentionally starting seven brush fires from mid-April through last week.
Allegheny Township police filed seven felony counts of arson and other charges against Anthony Hazlett, 30, in connection with the fires.
The charges were filed last Friday, but Hazlett will not be arraigned until he completes a mental health evaluation, said Allegheny Township Chief Duane Fisher.
A criminal complaint filed in the case said Hazlett confessed to starting the fires. Hazlett said he lit a Wendy’s fast-food bag on fire to start one brush fire and sparkler fireworks to start the others, the complaint said. In some of the cases, Hazlett called to report the fires and was on hand to help fellow firefighters extinguish them.
An inspector for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources told township police that he believed arson was to blame for the rash of brush fires between mid-April and Sept. 23.
The incidents included brush fires along Piper Road near Fast Lane in mid-April; in 1400 block of Indian Hill Road on July 1; in the 2300 block of While Cloud Road, also on July 1; in the 1600 block of Piper Road on Aug. 12; in the 100 block of Key Lane on Aug. 16; in the 2300 block of White Cloud Road on Aug. 20; and along Crain Road on Sept. 23.
No structural damage was reported and no one was injured in the fires.
Hazlett told police he knew setting the fires was bad, but “his emotions took over and he is treated better at the fire department than he is at home,” the complaint said.
Hazlett could not be reached. Allegheny Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 and Allegheny Township Manager Greg Primm did not return messages.
