Police Arrest Firefighter for Arson

Police arrested a former firefighter on Tuesday for allegedly setting three fires in Limerick Township between Jan. 17, 2010 and July 1, 2010.

Douglas Gauger is charged with Arson and other related offenses.

Gauger was previously arrested on Dec. 7, 2010 for allegedly setting a fire on Possum Hollow Road in Pottstown.

The four fires that Gauger allegedly set destroyed a pavilion area inside the Trinley River Park, burned two garages inside the Western Montgomery County School to the ground, caused damage to a home and caused damage to a barn.

At the time of the fires, Gauger was a volunteer firefighter for the Linfield Fire Company.

Investigators say that shortly after the Western Montgomery School fire, Gauger showed a friend burns on his leg that he received while fighting the fire.

According to Limerick Fire Marshal Rumler however, every firefighter must wear "Bunker Pants" which are designed to protect their legs from burns. Rumler inspected the "Bunker Pants" used that night and didn't find any damage indicating that a firefighter's leg was burned.

While detectives were investigating the fires, another Linfield firefighter was arrested for starting unrelated fires in Pottstown and West Pottsgrove in April 2010. Gauger left the Linfield Fire Company and moved to West Virginia shortly after this.

Detectives say that Gauger admitted to setting the fires while being interviewed on Dec. 7. In each of the four fires, Gauger allegedly returned to the scene with his company to help fight the same fire that he had set.

Gauger was extradited to Pennsylvania on Dec. 21 for the fire he allegedly set on Possum Hollow Road.

Gauger was arraigned this morning. His bail is set at $250,000 and he was remanded back to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m.

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