Anthony Mohamed is accused of setting a New Kensington duplex fire that sent six people, including three juveniles, to the hospital. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office listed charges including attempted homicide and arson.
A preliminary hearing was postponed after Mohamed fired his public defender, according to TribLIVE.com. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office listed six counts of attempted homicide, along with aggravated arson and arson charges, in its CRIMEWATCH listing.
The fire broke out shortly before 8 a.m. March 29 at a two-family duplex at Freeport Road and McCargo Street. The district attorney’s office said police, firefighters and EMS crews responded to find people jumping from the porch roof. Six people, including three juveniles, were inside; all were taken to local hospitals with varying degrees of injuries, according to the office.
National Context on Residential Fires
Intentional residential fires are recorded nationwide: the U.S. Fire Administration estimated 17,200 such fires in 2023.
What the Hearing Established About the Fire
Jasmine Bell, who lived on the McCargo Street side with Jeris Smith, their three young children and Smith’s son, said she saw smoke downstairs and a glow of flames. TribLIVE reported that Bell broke her leg, foot and ankle jumping from the front porch roof.
The other side of the duplex was occupied by property owner Christina Vivola, her daughter Jessica Vivola and Jessica’s boyfriend, Nico Hastie. All occupants escaped, according to TribLIVE. The district attorney’s office said a state police fire marshal determined that a direct-flame device was applied to combustibles inside the building.
Surveillance and Witness Accounts Cited by Prosecutors
TribLIVE reported that neighborhood surveillance footage showed Mohamed approaching the house and running away after smoke detectors activated. The district attorney’s office said detectives identified the person in surveillance footage as Mohamed.
TribLIVE reported an earlier altercation between Mohamed and his stepbrother.
U.S. Marshals arrested him in May; the district attorney’s office specified the date as May 22.
