LON SLEPICKA
Firehouse.com News
Two men caught setting fires to leaf piles near cars and structures in Maple
Shade, NJ, have been charged in more then 30 other arson incidents including
the burning of the EMS departments they volunteered at.
Maple Shade Police Det. Sgt. Gary Gubbei said James T. Shue, 23, of
Pennsauken, and Douglas S. Mandichak, 19, of Maple Shade were suspects in
the Nov. 7 fire at Maple Shade's Heavy Rescue Unit soon after police started
investigating. That fire destroyed the second floor of the building and
damaged the rest of the unit, which responds to incidents with special
equipment and lighting.
Their arrest on Nov. 19 followed the investigations that included eight
fires in Maple Shade, 15 fires in Cherry Hill, three in Pennsauken, two in
Merchantville and others in Palmyra, Riverton and Medford. According to Det.
Gubbei, both men also volunteered at the Palmyra Ambulance Squad. Shue is
accused of setting fire to that ambulance facility which suffered heavy
structural damage and the loss of a first responder vehicle, and also a barn
in Medford.
Det. Gubbei said bond for each man was approaching $250,000 as charges from
various jurisdictions were being filed. Changes include arson, aggravated
arson, causing or risking widespread injury or damage and criminal mischief.
They are being held at the Burlington County Jail. Shue is unemployed and
Mandichak works for a trash removal service, Det. Gubbei said.
The fires occurred between Nov. 6 and Nov. 19. None of the blazes resulted
in injuries. The calculation of the dollar loss was still underway. Det.
Gubbei said neither man was associated with other fire departments. Maple
Shade is just north of Philadelphia.
