Man Set 3 Fires In Berkeley Home: Police

BERKELEY, NJ — A Berkeley Township man is accused of setting multiple fires inside of his home, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

George DiPierro, 70, was charged with three counts of aggravated arson after setting the fires inside of the Harbor Court home on Nov. 15, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Berkeley police and fire departments went to the home at about 12:15 p.m. that day for the report of a residential fire, Billhimer said.

Upon arrival, emergency personnel saw smoke on the home's first floor along with a fire that appeared to have been extinguished, Billhimer said. Firefighters also discovered two additional fires on the house's second floor, which they extinguished, Billhimer said.

The first floor fire was in the southwest corner of the house and the two upstairs were in two separate bedrooms, an investigation found. The cause of all three were incendiary by an unknown person utilizing an open flame to available combustibles, according to the investigation.

DiPierro, who lived at the house, was identified as the person responsible for setting the fires, Billhimer said.

He was taken to Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.