Greensburg man accused of setting fire in woman's apartment

Greensburg Police have an arrest warrant for a 40-year-old man acccused of intentionally lighting a pair of jeans on fire inside woman’s closet after an argument early Dec. 2.

In addition to arson, Timothy J. Rosenberry of Greensburg is charged with reckless endangerment, criminal attempt and risking a catastrophe.

Police Lt. Jason Gain reported the 3:30 a.m. blaze caused more than $5,000 damage inside the apartment at Concord Ave. rear and was extinguished by the resident of the apartment, Carleyann Hill, prior to the arrival of firefighters.

Hill reported that she and Rosenberry had been bowling earlier, returned to her apartment and got into an argument. She told police she recalled seeing Rosenberry leave before falling asleep.

She told Gain that she was awakened a short time later by the fire alarm and saw fire and smoke coming from inside a closet.

“Hill ran into the living room-kitchen area and grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall. She took the extinguisher to the closet, spraying it on the upper part where the burning clothes were hanging,” Gain reported in court documents.

She then telephoned 911 and waited for firemen to arrive.

In an interview with Rosenberry, Gain said that after the argument he said “he was digging through the closet to collect clothing … and he had a cigarette in his mouth that fell out somewhere in the closet.”

According to court documents, Rosenberry said that after the fire alarm went off, he saw Hill in the kitchen “on the phone and frantic,” but did not know if she knew he was still there.

Rosenberry said when he heard the fire sirens approaching, “he left the area because he had arrest warrants.”

No injuries were reported.