Man Charged With Setting Fire At North Plainfield Home

NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — A North Plainfield man was charged with arson in connection with a "suspicious" fire on Wednesday morning that damaged three homes and displaced two families in the borough, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.

Jonathan Davies, 26, of Dahlia Terrace was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated arson and third-degree aggravated assault.

Davies had been seen in the area of the vacant home on Maple Avenue, which was currently under construction, when the three-alarm fire was set on Wednesday at about 2:40 a.m., Robertson said.

An investigation also found that Davies was seen watching the fire erupt and leaving and re-entering the property multiple times, Robertson said.

Emergency crews from Somerset, Union and Middlesex counties responded to put out the fire.

All of the residents in the homes were uninjured. One firefighter sustained minor injuries, was taken to an area hospital and has since been released.

Three homes were damaged, and two families were displaced as a result.

Davies was taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information relating to the fire is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the North Plainfield Police Department at 908-769-2937 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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