A New Jersey man is accused of setting fire to his girlfriend's parents' home following an argument, forcing her and other residents to evacuate.
South Brunswick police said in a news release that Leonard Jones, 50, was involved in an argument with his girlfriend and started a fire inside a home at 155 Old Beekman Road in South Brunswick around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Police were first called to the home after Jones was asked to leave after an argument and refused.
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A New Jersey man is accused of setting fire to his girlfriend's parents' home after an argument with them. (South Brunswick Township Police Department)
However, as officers were en route to the home, a second 911 call came in reporting the house was on fire.
“We've been here twice before. The first time was late at night for a noise complaint, which subsided at the time, but then we got a call about 10 minutes before the fire about an out-of-control male at the residence,” Detective Sergeant Tim Huber with South Brunswick Police Department told reporters. ABC7 No. 7.
“Officers then received a call of a fire that appeared to be out of control. Officers responded, but by the time they arrived the home was fully burned,” Huber continued.
Leonard Jones, 50, was charged with felony arson and domestic violence. (South Brunswick Township Police Department)
Jones and three other people who were inside the home escaped safely and were not injured as the fire consumed the house.
Neighbor Elise Campanella said one of the residents of the burning home knocked on her door to warn her about the fire.
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Leonard Jones, 50, is accused of starting the fire inside a home at 155 Old Beekman Road in South Brunswick, New Jersey, after an argument with his girlfriend. (South Brunswick Township Police Department)
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“It was pretty widespread and we were afraid it was going to fall out of the trees and land on our house. It was really scary,” she said. News 12 New Jersey.
According to ABC7, more than 70 firefighters were called in to extinguish the blaze.
Jones was arrested and charged with aggravated arson and domestic violence. He was booked into the Middlesex County Correctional Center.
