Volunteer Firefighter Accused of Keeping Himself Very Busy

A Pennsylvania volunteer firefighter is accused of setting three fires in just over a day—then helping put two of them out. Authorities say 29-year-old Justin Sholly of Souderton, a member of the Perseverance Volunteer Fire Company, faces arson and related charges after a series of blazes between Friday and Saturday in Montgomery County. No injuries were reported, reports NBC News, but investigators say two of the fires were close to occupied homes, with a total of 18 people inside.

Prosecutors allege Sholly torched a roadside woodpile in Franconia Township, then a detached garage and barn in Souderton near the home of a former boss who had fired him, and finally a property in Franconia where a barn, vehicles, and several outbuildings burned. State police say license plate reader data and surveillance video tied Sholly's 2015 Ford Edge to all three scenes, reports NBC10. When interviewed, Sholly allegedly confessed and admitted responding with his fire company to two of the incidents. A search of his vehicle and garage turned up fire-starting materials, investigators say. Sholly is being held in Montgomery County Prison after failing to post bail, with a preliminary hearing set for June 10, 2026.