Eldred man charged with setting home on fire

A Kunkletown man has been charged with setting his house on fire after admitting he intentionally poured gasoline on his couch.

Nicholas Hadley, 32, faces charges of arson, causing or risking catastrophe, and recklessly endangering another person.

According to the affidavit of probable caused filed by troopers Leo Petrucci and Justin Magluilo from the Lehighton State Police barracks: At 3:14 p.m. Friday, Magluilo was dispatched to 305 Chestnut Ridge Drive, in Eldred Township, for a working dwelling fire.

Members of the Kunkletown, Polk, West End, Blue Ridge and Towamensing Township volunteer fire departments responded to the scene to extinguish the fire.

West End Ambulance personnel spoke to Hadley, who said he lit his own residence on fire.

Hadley also confessed to police.

At that point, Magluilo took Hadley into custody and read him his Miranda Rights, which Hadley waived and agreed to answer questions.

Hadley described how he poured gasoline on the couch in his living room on the upper level of the residence and used a green plastic cigarette lighter to start the fire.

Hadley still had the green plastic cigarette lighter when he was arrested.

No one was inside the residence at the time of the fire.

Hadley is in the Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $15,000 bail.

Hadley is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Friday before District Judge Danielle Travagline of Tobyhanna.