A quiet Poconos townhouse complex turned into an all-night fire scene after police say a resident tried to 'kill the spiders' with open flames, touched off a blaze that ripped through four attached units, and then took off in a rented truck. Fire crews spent roughly eight hours battling the inferno in high winds and freezing temperatures before they finally got it under control.
The Pocono Mountain Regional Police identified the resident as 36-year-old Sean McDermott and said investigators secured a district court warrant charging him with multiple felonies, including arson and aggravated arson, along with counts of causing or risking a catastrophe, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, according to WGAL. Officers say McDermott left the scene in a U‑Haul and was initially listed as a fugitive while firefighters worked to contain the damage.
A neighbor told investigators he watched McDermott repeatedly set small fires inside the home throughout the day and said he kept putting them out, only for McDermott to light them again, the witness told CBS Philadelphia. At one point, according to the police report, McDermott allegedly had a smoldering fire on the floor and then placed a loveseat on top of it.
How the fire spread
Investigators say the fire started inside McDermott's unit and then spread to three adjoining townhomes, ultimately consuming four connected units and displacing multiple residents, according to WPVI/6abc. Volunteer companies, including the Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Company and at least seven neighboring departments, spent hours in frigid conditions fighting the flames before they were able to knock them down.
Arrest in Manhattan
Authorities say a U‑Haul truck tied to the case turned up in Midtown Manhattan, where NYPD officers arrested a 36‑year‑old man identified as Sean McDermott on Wednesday. The NYPD says its Emergency Service Unit and bomb squad responded to the truck and that McDermott was charged in New York with resisting arrest and related offenses, according to ABC7 New York. Police also reported finding nitrous oxide in his possession at the time of the arrest.
What police are asking
Pocono Mountain Regional Police have asked anyone with information about the case to call 911 or contact the department directly at 570-895-2400, according to People. Neighbors and local officials say several families were forced out of their homes, and emergency crews are still reviewing the structural integrity of the damaged units, officials told CBS Philadelphia.
Charges and next steps
Investigators presented the case to the district court and obtained an arrest warrant spelling out the multiple felony counts McDermott now faces, which could bring serious penalties if prosecutors choose to pursue them fully, according to a release cited by WGAL. Officials say local and federal authorities may coordinate as the investigation continues, while housing agencies work with residents left without homes after the fire.
