Man charged for setting mobile home on fire

Mifflinburg, Pa. — An East Buffalo Township man was charged for purposely setting his mobile home on fire, according to police.

Firefighters from William Cameron Fire Department were dispatched on March 24 to Kreider's property on Rusty Run Lane for a report of a structure fire. When firefighters arrived, they initially encountered resistance from the residents, according to Patrolman Martez D. Faulkner of Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department.

The mobile home was fully engulfed in flames. The homeowner, Matthew Kreider, 39, admitted he purposely set fire to the property in order to clear space for building a new house, according to the affidavit. Kreider told PSP fire marshal James Nizinski that he attempted to contact New Berlin Fire Department a month prior for a planned fire, but had not received a response. Kreider admitted he started the fire using newspaper in a bedroom, Faulkner wrote in the affidavit.

Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading into the surrounding wooded area.

Police filed charges on Aug. 13, including misdemeanor failure to report/control dangerous fire, disorderly conduct, and summary dangerous burning. Kreider's preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 5 at the office of District Judge Jeffrey A. Rowe.

Docket Sheet