CLEARFIELD – A pair of firefighters accused of arson in October in Chester Hill Borough appeared for preliminary hearings during Centralized Court on Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Hunter Thomas Harris, 21, of Philipsburg, has been charged with burglary; two counts of conspiracy/arson; reckless burning or exploding; possession of explosive material; criminal mischief; failure to control/duty; and recklessly endangering another person.
Kenneth Lee Moore IV, 20, of Lanse and Samuel Wilbur Connor V, 19, of Howard have been charged with burglary; conspiracy/arson; arson; reckless burning or exploding; possession of explosive material; criminal mischief; failure to control/duty; and recklessly endangering another person.
Moore previously waived his charges to the Court of Common Pleas for further disposition. Both Harris and Connor waived their charges to court at their hearings Wednesday.
According to the affidavit of probable cause in the Harris, Connor and Moore cases, on Oct. 9 at approximately 4 a.m., a two-story house fire occurred on Ida Street in Chester Hill Borough and was reported to Clearfield County 911.
Investigators determined that the fire originated in a wooden-framed shed attached to the rear of the house. It then spread throughout the house. No one was inside the house at the time of the fire, which investigators determined to be arson.
Through interviews with the defendants, investigators determined that Harris, Connor and Moore were members of the Hope Volunteer Fire Company in Philipsburg. They also determined that all three allegedly collectively decided to start the fire in order to respond with the fire company and extinguish it.
Investigators determined that the trio of firefighters allegedly gathered hay, cardboard, toilet paper and similar items to create a fuel package in order to ignite the fire. Moore allegedly drove to the area and dropped off Harris and Connor.
Harris allegedly put the fuel package inside the wooden-framed shed and used a lighter to ignite it. The trio then allegedly returned to the fire hall to await dispatch. All three allegedly responded with the fire company to extinguish the fire.
