Isaac M. Chestnut, 57, was charged with arson over the weekend after a fire broke out in his Perryville apartment, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal.
Firefighters from Perryville, Port Deposit, the Susquehanna Hose Company and Charlestown responded to a fire reported on the 600 block of Broad Street at 4:30 p.m. Friday, the fire marshal said.
Chestnut's neighbors noticed the fire and one knocked on his door, Senior Deputy Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire told Patch. When Chestnut opened the door, one neighbor saw a fire in his bedroom and at that moment, Alkire said, the sprinklers kicked on.
When firefighters arrived, they found that the blaze—contained to Chestnut’s apartment—had been put out by sprinklers, the fire marshal reported.
The fire caused $1,000 in damage to the building, which included three apartments above several businesses including a pizza shop, the fire marshal said.
Investigators quickly determined that the fire had been intentionally set and charged Chestnut with first and second-degree arson as well as malicious burning, according to the fire marshal’s office.
"He was the sole occupant of the apartment; he was the only one there," Alkire said.
Chesnut was reportedly taken to the Cecil County Detention Center on $50,000 bond.
According to Alkire, Chestnut had just been released from jail the morning of the fire; he was incarcerated on a charge of DUI on a scooter, Alkire said. After that incident, Alkire said Chestnut threatened to burn down the police department.
During his arrest over the weekend, Chestnut was combative and intoxicated, Alkire said. He could face up to 55 years in jail if convicted of the arson charges, according to the fire marshal.
Want more Cecil County news? Check out our Cecil County page.
