Two Men Charged With Arson

The East Brunswick Police Department arrested two men - including a probationary firefighter - who are allegedly responsible for a series of fires that had occurred in the township starting in April 2011.

After a month and a half long investigation conducted jointly by Detective Robert Zielinski of the East Brunswick Police Department and the Fire District No. 1 Fire Marshall and Bureau of Fire Prevention personnel, William Swiatkowski, 18, of East Brunswick and Robert Keir, 23, of Old Bridge Township were charged Wednesday, June 8, in connection with six fires.

Swiatkowski, a probationary volunteer firefighter for the East Brunswick District No. 1 Fire Company, was identified as a suspect by members of the fire company, who contacted olice after becoming concerned by Swiatkowski’s behavior at several suspicious brush fires. Swiatkowski had been a member of the Fire Company for less than six months.

At the conclusion of the investigation Swiatkowski was charged with six counts of Conspiracy to Commit Arson and released on his own recognizance.  Keir was charged with six counts of Arson and one count of burglary.

Bail on Keir was set at $25,000.00. Both individuals were charged in connection with four brush fires, a fire in a detached garage and two car fires. Three of the brush fires occurred in the vicinity of Work Out World on Route 18, the fourth occurred near Route 18 and Hillsdale Road. The garage fire occurred at a residence on Old Bridge Turnpike and the two car fires occurred at the same time at Branning Auto Group on Route 18. All the fires occurred on separate dates April 8, 2011, and June 4, 2011.