Toms River house fire probe leads to arson charge

TOMS RIVER - Hours after a fire erupted on both ends of a house in the township just after midnight Tuesday, suspect from another part of town is charged with setting it.

John Fischer V, 26, of Rosewood Drive, faces a charge of aggravated arson in connection with the blaze on Camino Roble Drive, according to township police. He was placed in the Ocean County Jail, with bail set at $75,000.

Police said that the 42-year-old occupant first detected smoke near his front door, then found flames shooting into the house from beneath it, and quelled them with an extinguisher.

At that point, he noticed a reddish glow growing on the back end of the house, and found vinyl siding going up in flames, again applying an extinguisher.

Police and Pleasant Plains firefighters resopnded at about 12:30 AM. Officer Raymond Beyerle detected an accelerant on both ends of the house, police said. They did not publicly disclose the links that connected Fischer to the incident.

Criminal charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, found guilty in a court of law.