A volunteer firefighter has been accused of secretly setting a string of fires before joining fellow crews to help put them out.
Justin Sholly, 29, allegedly sparked three separate blazes over a 30-hour period before responding to each emergency call as part of the firefighting effort.
The allegations have left colleagues stunned, with fellow firefighters reportedly admitting they had no idea the suspected arsonist was allegedly operating from within their own ranks, as reported by Need To Know.
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According to investigators, the fires broke out between May 29 and May 31, prompting multiple emergency responses as authorities searched for whoever was responsible.
Prosecutors allege Sholly – a member of the Perseverance Volunteer Fire Company in Souderton, Pennsylvania – deliberately ignited the blazes and then attended the scenes as a volunteer firefighter, helping battle the fires alongside unsuspecting colleagues.
Investigators eventually linked him to the incidents through witness accounts, surveillance footage and evidence gathered during the inquiry, according to charging documents.
Officials said the fires posed a serious danger to both the public and emergency responders who were called to tackle them.
The arrest sent shockwaves through the local firefighting community, where colleagues said they were blindsided by the allegations.
Several firefighters told local media they had been actively trying to identify the person responsible for the suspicious fires, never suspecting one of their own could allegedly be involved.
Sholly has been charged with multiple arson-related offences and was taken into custody following the investigation.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive.
The alleged fire-setting spree unfolded in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where officials said the suspect’s role as a firefighter made the accusations particularly disturbing.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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