BRANDON — On Monday evening Vermont State Police cited Ethan McArdle, 33, of Brandon for first-degree arson and reckless endangerment. Police said McArdle started a fire at his Carver Street home in Brandon that morning.
At approximately 8:49 a.m. on March 31 the Brandon Fire Department responded to a reported fire at 59 Carver St. The Pittsford Fire Department also responded to the fire. Upon arrival firefighters found heavy fire on the second floor and additional fire on the first floor.
Firefighters successfully suppressed the fire and subsequently requested a fire investigation from the Department of Public Safety. This was the second fire at this location in 24 hours; there had been a small fire in the basement on Sunday.
The VSP accelerant detection K-9, Biscuit, was brought to the scene.
Authorities said an investigation by state police, Division of Fire Safety staff and the Brandon Fire Department revealed that Monday’s fire was “an intentionally set fire and not related to the previous small basement fire of the prior day.”
As they began focusing on who might have set the fire, detectives that evening met with the homeowners, Ethan and Rebecca McArdle. Then they took Ethan McArdle into custody, processed him at the Rutland State Police barracks and released him. He is due in court to answer the charge on June 9.
Anyone with any information on this fire is asked to contact Det. Sgt. Sutton at the Vermont State Police barracks in Rutland at 802-773-9101 or the Vermont Arson Tip Award Program at 1-800-32 ARSON.