Firefighter Charged With Setting Fire At Amish Schoolhouse

Wednesday, June 13th 2007, 1:43 pm

By: News On 6

BROWNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) _ An 18-year-old firefighter was charged with setting a weekend blaze that damaged a one-room Amish schoolhouse _ a fire he claimed to have discovered by driving past in the dead of night.

Dustin Shane Gerth confessed to the crime, according to his arrest affidavit.

He said a friend in his car called 911 as they raced to the Farmersville Fire Department. He then drove a fire engine to the scene to battle the fire, according to police.

The Saturday morning fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes but did $20,000 in damage. The school serves Amish and Old Order Mennonite children. Classes had recently ended for the summer break.

Gerth was charged Tuesday night with burglary, arson, conspiracy, vandalism and corruption of minors in the fire at the Pleasant Valley School. Police said two boys are under investigation for allegedly helping him.

Gerth's bail was set at $200,000. It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.