A Clifton Springs firefighter has been arrested and charged with arson after allegedly setting a fire in a dumpster behind an apartment complex before helping extinguish it.
According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the Foster Block Apartments on Crane Street around 3:49 p.m. on March 18 for a fire department assist call. Firefighters from the Clifton Springs Fire Department quickly put out a fire burning in a dumpster in the rear parking lot. However, investigators soon determined that the fire had been intentionally set.
A joint investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, including its Road Patrol, Crime Scene Unit, and Criminal Investigation Division, along with the Clifton Springs Fire Department, led to the arrest of 19-year-old Joshua J. Musgrove. Authorities charged Musgrove with arson in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor. He was issued an appearance ticket for Manchester Town Court and released.
Musgrove, who is a firefighter with the Clifton Springs Fire Department, had responded to the scene with his department to help put out the very fire he allegedly started.
Sheriff David J. Cirencione acknowledged the troubling nature of the case but emphasized that most firefighters serve their communities with integrity. “While the arrest of a firefighter for arson is disturbing, it is important to note that the vast majority of our firefighters are dedicated members of their communities who give selflessly of themselves to assist others in their times of need,” he said in a statement.
The Clifton Springs Fire Department cooperated fully with the investigation.
Brian DeWeaver, senior community manager with Cornerstone Property Managers, LLC, which oversees the Foster Block Apartments, noted that his team played a key role in identifying the suspect. “I am the one who told the police chief and sheriffs who the person was that started the fire and showed them the video,” he said. “They were not aware until we brought it to their attention,” DeWeaver added.
He added that the recently installed camera system helped authorities quickly identify the suspect. “We are thankful that no one was injured by his actions,” he said.
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