Arrest Made In String Of 'Suspicious' Fires In Union County

LINDEN, NJ — A local man was arrested in connection with a string of fires at multiple homes, a dumpster and small brush that all happened on the same night in Union County last week.

Marcus D. Wise, 30, of Roselle is charged with two counts of second-degree aggravated arson, two counts of third-degree arson, and single counts of second-degree attempted aggravated arson, third-degree burglary, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced.

• See Related: String Of 'Suspicious' Fires Under Investigation: Linden PD

On July 25 firefighters were called to a two-alarm fire around 10 p.m. at a home at 809 N. Wood Ave. Residents next door were evacuated, yet no injuries were reported, Linden Police Lt. Christopher Guenther said.

About 30 minutes later, a second fire was reported at an empty home on the 900 block of Seymour Avenue. The two-alarm fire severely damaged the home. Next door neighbors were displaced by the fire and relocated by the the American Red Cross. No injuries were reported.

And shortly after midnight that same night, two additional fires were reported, one a brush fire located on the 20 block of East Curtis Street, the other a dumpster fire on the 300 block of East Henry Street, on the grounds of Soehl Middle School.

While firefighters were still battling the two house fires, just after midnight a brush fire was reported nearby on the 20 block of East Curtis Street along with a dumpster fire at Soehl Middle School, Guenther said.

The brush and dumpster fires were put out before too much damage was reported.

Just after 1:15 a.m. police went to the 400 block of Roselle Street after it was reported someone was throwing rocks through a glass door of a building.

Wise was found at the location with a lighter, a piece of cardboard, and a can of WD-40 when he was arrested, according to the report.

Wise was identified as the person responsible for all of the fires, as well as the break-in on Roselle Street following an investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Newark Field Division, the multi-jurisdictional Union County Fire Investigation Task Force, and the Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and Linden Police Department.

He is currently being held at Union County Jail pending an evaluation to take place before his next Superior Court appearance, tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. on Aug. 9.

Wise faces 5 to 10 years in state prison on the second-degree criminal charges and 3 to 5 years on the third-degree crimes

Anyone with information about these incidents is still being urged to contact Linden Police Department Detectives Matt Jones or Tim Hubert at 908-474-8537.

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