The Advocate
ST. FRANCISVILLE, La. — The state fire marshal announced on Tuesday the weekend arrest of a West Feliciana Parish volunteer firefighter accused of setting two fires in the Tunica community Friday night.
State Fire Marshal Butch Browning said in a news release that Adam Paul Carriere, 24, a probationary volunteer firefighter with West Feliciana Parish Fire Protection District 1, was booked with two counts of arson and two counts of trespassing.
West Feliciana Parish Sheriff J. Austin Daniel said Carriere, who was arrested Saturday, gave a Church Point address when he was booked at the Parish Jail, but is believed to have been living recently at another residence in the parish.
Browning said the counts against Carriere stem from fires within minutes of each other at two vacant structures to which the fire protection district’s personnel and firefighters from Louisiana State Penitentiary responded.
Carriere had joined the district as a probationary firefighter three days before these fires occurred, Browning said.
An initial background investigation of Carriere turned up no information that would have excluded him from being a firefighter, Browning said. A more comprehensive background investigation of Carriere was started but not completed by the time the fires were set.
The first fire was reported at 11:23 p.m. at a vacant building once occupied by Hallie’s Bar at 1555 Tunica Trace. The other involved a vacant residence at 5191 Old Tunica Road, reported at 11:42 p.m.
After firefighters determined the fires had been intentionally set, a preliminary investigation by the fire district and sheriff’s deputies identified Carriere as a possible suspect, Browning said.
The Fire Marshal’s Office then joined the investigation, resulting in Carriere’s arrest. Browning said Carriere cooperated with investigators during questioning.
Browning said in the news release “it is taken very seriously when a firefighter crosses the line and does something like this ... we will not tolerate such actions.”
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