Man charged with arson after Franklin Township apartment fire displaces 15, kills 2 pets
Prosecutors say surveillance footage showed the suspect approaching the building with a container shortly before the fire broke out.
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A New Brunswick man has been charged with aggravated arson in connection with a Franklin Township apartment fire that displaced 15 people and killed two pets Friday afternoon, according to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office.
Perfecto Quintana, 56, also known as Perfecto Quintana Montes, was arrested following an investigation into the fire at a four-unit apartment building on Home Street in Somerset.
Firefighters responded around 3:45 p.m. to a fire in one of the apartments. Three families totaling 15 people, comprised of 11 adults and four children, were displaced. No residents reported injuries.
A dog and a cat found inside the affected residence died despite efforts to provide care, prosecutors said. The American Red Cross assisted the displaced families with temporary shelter.
Investigators identified Quintana as a suspect after reviewing surveillance footage from the area.
According to prosecutors, the footage showed Quintana arriving in a vehicle and approaching the building while holding a container close to his body. He then walked up a staircase leading toward the apartment.
A short time later, he was seen descending the same staircase with a pitcher that appeared to be empty. He drove away, and police received reports of the fire within minutes.
During the investigation, people gathered near the scene alerted officers that Quintana was driving in the area. Police stopped him, observed signs of intoxication and took him into custody.
Quintana was charged with aggravated arson, residential burglary, criminal mischief, criminal contempt and two counts of animal cruelty. He was taken to the Somerset County Jail pending a court hearing.
