Man Arrested In Connection With Upper Darby Fire That Damaged 3 Businesses
UPPER DARBY, Pa. (CBS) – Authorities in Upper Darby have announced an arrest in connection with a fire that damaged several businesses on 69th Street.
Police have arrested the man they say was living on the abandoned second floor area above a Payless at the time of the fire.
Fifty-four-year-old James Morris has been arrested and charged with criminal trespassing and theft after a witness told police Morris was stealing shelving for scrap metal.
Police say Morris was giving the scrap to a man in exchange for alcohol.
Around 5:30 p.m. Monday, a fire on the second floor of the Payless on South 69th Street reached four alarms, destroying the building and damaging the businesses beside it.
The fire chief says no accelerants were found so arson is not likely.
Morris was well-known by police, however, who say he was a smoker.
"The fire chief said, 'We're trying to find the cause and origin of the fire, but we believe we have the people who were on location and know what happened,'" says Supt. Michael Chitwood, of the Upper Darby Police Department.
A total of three businesses were damaged by the fire, which is still under investigation.
