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WILKES-BARRE — A three-alarm fire that heavily damaged a South Sherman Street residence last week was intentionally set, city Fire Chief Jay Delaney said Monday.

Delaney said the ruling is not the same as arson, which is a criminal charge filed following an investigation by police. A message left Monday at the city police department regarding the fire was not immediately returned.

The four-unit building on 46-48 S. Sherman St. is owned by Wilkes-Barre Controller Darren Snyder, who previously said a firefighter told him it appeared the blaze started on a second-floor back porch. Snyder had said the building is insured.

Snyder was unaware of the ruling when reached by a reporter Monday.

“I guess we’ll have to just wait and see,” Snyder said.

Two of the four units were vacant when the fire started around 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 15, Snyder had said. One of the tenants was out of town. Another, an elderly woman, was helped out of the apartment by neighbors, officials at the scene said.

The upstairs tenants had been evicted, Snyder said last week, but he worried that his property was being targeted.

Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said Monday that a fire last week at 46-48 S. Sherman St. was intentionally set. The four-unit building is owned by Wilkes-Barre Controller Darren Snyder.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/web1_web1_TTL081517Fire2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney said Monday that a fire last week at 46-48 S. Sherman St. was intentionally set. The four-unit building is owned by Wilkes-Barre Controller Darren Snyder. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Joe Dolinsky

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Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL