Pennsylvania State Police say they still cannot connect an August house fire in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, to James Sever, the New Alexandria man already jailed on explosive-related charges after a riding lawnmower blew up in July.
The August blaze leveled the duplex where Sever once lived and is still under active investigation as fire marshals chase down leads. Trooper Steve Limani said the community quickly drew its own conclusions about who might be responsible, but investigators have not made that leap.
“I think that the general public kind of made a presumption on who started the fire,” Limani said, adding that state police “were unable to link this particular crime to [Sever]” and that the blaze began in a place with no electricity or combustibles, according to CBS Pittsburgh. The landlord, Dave Martin, told reporters he absolutely believes his former tenant set the fire and said an insurance estimator pegged rebuilding costs at about $952,000. State police added that another tenant was displaced when the flames tore through the property.
The broader case stretches back to July, when a device exploded under a riding mower at the same property, injuring Martin. Investigators later recovered suspicious components on a Pennsylvania Turnpike ramp that they say match parts used in that earlier blast. Authorities obtained arrest warrants for Sever and at one point offered a $5,000 reward for information while searching for him, describing him as a capable outdoorsman who might be moving around the region on an e-bike, according to WPXI.
State troopers finally caught up with Sever in September after an off-duty trooper reported spotting a man on an e-bike along the Hoodlebug Trail. That ride ended with Sever taken into custody without incident and transported to state police barracks for processing, according to local coverage. Officials said he was denied bail and remains in jail while the criminal case moves forward, per WCCS.
Charges, hearings and next steps
Prosecutors have stacked up multiple charges tied to the explosive incidents, including attempted homicide, aggravated assault counts and allegations involving a weapon of mass destruction. One local account puts the total at nearly 40 charges. Sever has pleaded not guilty and faces additional court dates as investigators try to tighten up the timeline of events, according to a report that he faces nearly 40 counts.
Investigation status and reward
The Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal unit in Greensburg is offering up to $2,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the arson case, and Limani said investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the neighborhood, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Troopers are still asking anyone with information to contact the PSP tip line to help close out the months-long investigation.
