A man has been charged with arson after police say he fired a flare gun in the hallway of an apartment building on Colton Avenue in Lackawanna.
The incident happened last week. When officers arrived, they say they found 56-year-old Richard McKnight putting out a fire in the hallway.
Officers say McKnight told them he was showing his friend a flare gun when he accidentally pulled the trigger, setting cardboard in the hallway ablaze.
McKnight was ordered to take his hands out of his pockets and to exit the building, but police say he refused. When he was told he was under arrest, officers say McKnight refused to be handcuffed.
He was taken into custody and charged with fourth degree arson, first degree reckless endangerment, reckless endangerment of property, resisting arrest, fourth degree criminal mischief and second degree obstruction of governmental administration.
