Man Linked To 2 Fires Before Blaze At Toms River Gym, Affidavit Says

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Berkeley Township man accused of setting fire outside Planet Fitness on Sunday is linked to two additional fires that happened in the hours before the gym fire, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Joseph R. Mansueto, 38, has been charged with aggravated arson and criminal mischief in connection with the incident at the gym in the Toms River Shopping Center on Route 37, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The fire was reported at 3:41 a.m. Sunday outside the building, and was quickly extinguished, authorities said.

Investigators reviewing surveillance saw a person wearing a blue trench coat with a gray hoodie underneath, a blue scarf, blue pants and black sneakers walking in front of the gym in one direction at 3:26 a.m., then two minutes later walking past in the opposite direction.

The fire at Planet Fitness was reported at 3:41 a.m., according to the affidavit.

Detectives then learned firefighters had been called to the Toms River Bus Terminal at 400 Highland Parkway about 3:20 a.m. for a fire in a garbage can, the affidavit said.

Surveillance video from the bus terminal showed a person dressed in the same clothing as in the Planet Fitness video lighting a piece of paper on top of a garbage can under the overhang, the affidavit said. The person paced around smoking a cigarette, then put the lit paper into the garbage can, which caused the contents to catch fire, the affidavit said.

That surveillance footage was recorded about 2:40 a.m. Sunday, the affidavit said.

Investigators also learned Toms River police and firefighters had responded to a report of an open burn in the alley near Jembro at the Toms River Shopping Center on Saturday evening. A man who was in the area identified himself as Mansueto, the affidavit said. He was given a warning and released, the affidavit said.

A person matching the description from the Planet Fitness footage was seen in Beachwood by Lt. Brad Frank from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office as Frank was driving along Route 166, the affidavit said.

The person identified himself to Beachwood police and Frank as Mansueto, the affidavit said. Mansueto had a warrant for failure to appear so he was arrested and taken to Beachwood Police headquarters, where he requested a lawyer and declined to answer questions, the affidavit said.

No charges have been filed in connection with the fire in the garbage can at the bus terminal.