By Paul Peirce
The Tribune-Review
IRWIN, Pa. — An Irwin firefighter who allegedly called in to report a fire is accused of intentionally setting the blaze last week in Penn Township.
Volunteer firefighter Eric Penska, 22, of 240 Belmont St., North Huntingdon, is accused of helping to set the blaze in a vacant house at 502 Baker School Road at 3:22 a.m. Wednesday. A damage estimate was not available.
Penska, Jeffrey Caprino Jr., 22, of 244 Henry Drive, North Huntingdon, and Jaime Lee Wright, 20, of 13221 Ardara Road, Ardara, were charged by township police Officer Todd DeNillo with arson, burglary, criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and risking a catastrophe.
The three men were questioned the night of the fire, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by DeNillo before Harrison City District Judge Helen Kistler. Penska told police that he called the report in to Westmoreland County Emergency Management. The men said they were spotting deer when they noticed the blaze.
Later in the day, Wright told police that Penska and Carpino entered the house through a rear door and set the fire using newspapers that were inside the house, according to police.
After leaving the house, the men drove in Wright’s vehicle to the North Irwin Fire Department, where Penska had parked his car, according to the affidavit. Wright told police they then drove back to the vacant house and Penska used his cell phone to call in the fire.
Preliminary hearings will be scheduled before Kistler. The three were arraigned last week before Youngwood District Judge James Falcon and released on signature bonds.
Irwin volunteer fire Chief Justin Mochar said Monday that Penska had been on a leave of absence from the department since December and had not been involved in any recent fire department activity.
“I believe he left for work in Maryland,” said Mochar, who took over as chief in January.
He added that department policy is to immediately suspend firefighters “charged with anything of this nature.”
“He has been sent a letter by certified mail notifying him he has been suspended,” Mochar said.
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