OCEAN CITY — An Easton man living and working in Ocean City for the summer has been charged with first-degree arson and reckless endangerment after allegedly starting a fire at a downtown apartment building last week.
On Sunday, Aug. 2, an unknown person poured gasoline on the porch of a two-story, six-unit apartment building on Lark Lane and lit it on fire. Occupants of the ground-floor units noticed the odor of gasoline, and after discovering the fuel had been lit, extinguished the flames prior to notifying authorities. At the time of the fire, the building was occupied by over 30 individuals, most of whom were asleep.
An investigation by the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office, with assistance from the Ocean City Police Criminal Investigation Division and the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office, found the fire was incendiary in nature and purposely set. Investigators identified the suspect as Luke Vincent Howard III, 18, of Easton.
Howard has been charged with first- and second-degree arson, malicious burning, malicious destruction of property and reckless endangerment. No injuries were reported in the incident.