A former volunteer firefighter and another Park River, N.D., resident each face felony charges for allegedly setting fire to an apartment complex.
On Monday, authorities responded to a fire in an apartment at 301 Hill Ave. N. in Park River. The fire was extinguished quickly with minimal damage and no injuries, according to a Walsh County Sheriff's Office news release.
Officers arrested Aaron Roger Fernelius, 21, and Jennifer R. Lanter, 22, both of Park River, on Tuesday. According to the news release, both confessed they had conspired and intentionally set fire inside an apartment.
Fernelius was a probationary member of the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department and had resigned several days prior to the fire, according to the release.
Fernelius is charged with arson and five counts of endangering by fire or explosion, all class B felonies.
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Lanter is charged with conspiracy to commit arson and five counts of conspiracy to commit endangering by fire or explosion, all class B felonies.
Both face up to 60 years in prison and fines of up to $120,000 dollars.
At the time of the fire, people were in adjacent apartments in the complex, according to the release. Fire damage was contained to the apartment set on fire, but smoke damage reached throughout the apartment complex.
