Police: Pitcairn man set house fire to 'scare' people who kicked him out

A Pitcairn man was arrested Sunday evening after police said he set a fire at a borough house earlier that day.

Michael Zachary Cruse, 23, told investigators he started the fire on the Wall Avenue home’s back porch to scare a group of people he had been drinking with, according to court papers.

Cruse is being held at the Allegheny County Jail on $20,000 bail.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at 4:30 a.m. and found the back porch completely engulfed in flames. Police said a second-floor apartment is vacant and a ground-level unit is occupied.

Allegheny County fire marshals determined the fire was set near the back door. Surveillance cameras in the area led authorities to a witness who said he, Cruse and five others were drinking at the Wall Avenue home when Cruse was asked to leave after getting into an argument, police said.

Cruse allegedly returned twice to break windows, the second time getting into a fight with the witness before leaving. The witness extinguished the fire and left, but the flames rekindled, causing about $80,000 in damage, police said.

Cruse made an assault report to police and was being treated at AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville. Officers said Cruse confessed to lighting a sheet on fire and putting it on the back porch to “scare them,” according to an arrest affidavit.

He is charged with arson, burglary and related offenses. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A Jan. 14 preliminary hearing is set.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta.