Juveniles charged in dumpster fire incident, officials warn of youth fire setting behaviors

On Thursday, January 2, 2020, at 12:57 am, the Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue Services was dispatched to the area of 40 Crescent Street for a reported dumpster fire.

Units arrived on scene to find a garbage dumpster significantly involved in fire. Crews were able to quickly contain the fire, there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire was investigated by the Warren County Fire Marshals Office which determined the fire to be caused by an intentional act.

A joint investigation conducted between the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Front Royal Police Department Criminal Investigations Division determined that the fire resulted from the actions of two juveniles. After consultation with the Warren County Commonwealths Attorney’s Office, petitions have been sought for these two juveniles in Warren County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

Anyone with further information pertaining to the fire incident is encouraged to contact Fire Investigator Austin Cucciardo at acucciardo@warrencountyfire.com or (540) 636-3830, or contact Detective Dave Fogle at dfogle@frontroyalva.com or 540-636-2208.

This type of incident should serve as a reminder that youth fire-setting behaviors put our community at risk. If a child you care about has played with matches, lighters, fireworks, candles, etc. or has set a fire, or has shown a curiosity of fire that worries you, the Department of Fire and Rescue Services Youth Fire-setter Intervention Program may help. The Youth Fire-setter Intervention Program provides a simple risk assessment for youth to help understand their situation. It also provides fire safety education for the child and other family members. Everything is confidential and intended to help keep your family safe from fire. This is not a punitive program; rather a program to prevent a tragic incident from occurring. The goal is to help families learn about the dangers of fire setting and provide assistance and support to families with fire-setting concerns.

Anyone who feels they have a juvenile that can benefit from participation in this educational program is asked to contact the Department of Fire and Rescue Services Youth Fire Setter Intervention Program at 540-636-3830.