43
Arrest made in house blast
The explosion damaged more than 50 homes in the city neighborhood.
GIRARD — A city man faces several felony charges after police charged him in the explosion last week of a Washington Avenue home.
Police charged Donald F. Shelley, 25, with two counts of felony aggravated arson, felony vandalism and felony breaking and entering. Police determined that Shelley committed a copper/scrap theft that led to the explosion. Shelley lives on North Avenue, one block from the site of the explosion.
“Detective [Greg] Manente, Girard police, along with the State Fire Marshal Northeast District Arson Bureau and Girard Fire Department, obtained information originating from a concerned citizen revealing that the fire/explosion that occurred at 824 Washington Ave. leveling that property and damaging in excess of 50 homes with at least four injuries was the direct result of a theft of copper/scrap from the residence,” police said in a Tuesday press release.
Shelley was arrested Tuesday without incident in Austintown while working on a landscaping job.
The Washington Avenue home exploded at about 6 p.m. Thursday, causing an occupied home next door to catch fire and burn to the ground. Concerned neighbors and firefighters were able to help a family escape the neighboring home, but two dogs died in the fire.
Mayor James Melfi said officials did an excellent job in the arrest.
“I would like to compliment all the agencies involved here. I appreciate the diligent work and quick apprehension,” he said. “We are thankful that no one was killed or seriously injured, but this could have been a serious situation where many people could have been killed over a few pieces of metal.”
The late-afternoon explosion galvanized residents in the Washington Avenue neighborhood into action checking on those nearby and fighting to save the lives of some who could have perished in the resulting fire.
“My house I wasn’t worried about. I was more worried about the neighbor kids because we had a lot of kids who would play ball in the street and stuff around here every day,” said Kenny Moran, a neighbor living several houses away from the blast.
jgoodwin@vindy.com