HdG Man Charged in Tydings Park Dumpster Fire

A 32-year-old Havre de Grace man was charged with malicious destruction of property, among other crimes, related to a weekend fire at Tydings Park, officials said.

Robert Hall of the 700 block of Erie Street is being held at the Harford County Detention Center on $10,000 bond in connection with the blaze, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.

Havre de Grace police connected Hall to the fire, which occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 4, based on witness testimony, Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire told Patch.

A passerby on the Promenade called 911 Sunday morning to report that a man had ignited a dumpster and was upsetting other trash cans, Alkire said.

The Havre de Grace Police Department responded and put out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher, according to the report, which stated there were no injuries and no fire companies were called to the scene.

For assistance with evidence collection, police called the fire marshal's office to the scene of the fire, which caused less than $1,000 in damage to the dumpster, according to the fire marshal.

Deputy State Fire Marshals said they served Hall with charges including malicious destruction of property exceeding $500, possession of drugs, disorderly conduct and intoxication.

According to Alkire, Hall was intoxicated at the time of his arrest and used a grill lighter to set the fire "in a fit of rage" over an unknown cause.