A 63-year-old man is now in custody in New Castle, months after a high-rise fire that briefly put residents at risk at the Skyview Towers building at 219 N Beaver St. The blaze was reported on Oct. 9 and is at the center of an arson investigation.
Months-Old Warrant Ends in Arrest
According to Newport Dispatch, New Castle police arrested Christopher A. Kohlmetz on April 11 on an arson warrant. Court records state that a warrant for his arrest was issued on Oct. 10, 2025, by Hon. Melissa A. Amodie under docket number CR563-2025, and Kohlmetz faces charges of arson and aggravated assault.
What Investigators Say Sparked the Fire
Earlier reporting by the New Castle News described the Oct. 9 fire at Skyview Towers as starting when a wreath on a seventh-floor apartment door was set on fire, then quickly put out by a resident. Fire crews ventilated the floor and used thermal imaging to confirm the flames had not spread. A housing authority worker told police that surveillance footage showed a resident lighting the decoration, and a tenant reported the suspect had struck a woman earlier and threatened to "kill everybody," as reported by New Castle News.
Charges and Possible Penalties
Law-enforcement warrant listings mirrored by monitoring sites show an Oct. 10, 2025, warrant under docket CR563-2025 that links Kohlmetz to the arson and aggravated assault allegations, according to the New Castle Police Department warrant list. Under Pennsylvania's Crimes Code, arson that endangers people is classified as a serious felony, and aggravated assault can be charged as a first- or second-degree felony depending on the conduct, meaning convictions can carry years in prison; see 18 Pa.C.S. §3301 and 18 Pa.C.S. §2702 for the statutory language.
Officials have not yet released details about arraignment or bail, and investigators say they are still gathering information. Police previously urged anyone with tips to contact the New Castle Police Department, per Newport Dispatch. Kohlmetz is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
