ELLENVILLE – The village police department's busy summer showed no sign of slowing last week, as they busted an arsonist who allegedly set fire to his girlfriend's apartment after an argument at a Kerhonkson bar. At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29, the Ellenville Police Department arrested Michael McCarthy, 27, of Ellenville, for setting the fire.

In the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday, the police and fire department were called to 9 Kossar Place, where they found the back apartment in flames — this only days after an accidental house fire at the corner of Maple Avenue and Yankee Place necessitated that house's demolition. However, unlike the Maple Avenue fire, this conflagration was no accident.

"We found a bottle of 'tiki torch' fuel in the back here, by a bag full of brand new clothes that was left by the suspect [McCarthy], and we called in the [Ulster County] Arson Task Force," said Ellenville Police Chief Phil Mattracion at the scene of the fire on Thursday afternoon. "They have the use of a canine that specializes in detecting flammable liquids, and fires that use accelerants…. It was apparent after the arson task force got here at three in the morning, it was ruled an arson, and we began an immediate investigation."

According to Chief Mattracion, the house's occupant — who was not home at the time of the fire — had gotten into a fight with McCarthy at a Kerhonkson bar.

"[McCarthy] had made some statements about going back to the house," said Mattracion, "so he was a suspect that we focused on immediately from the outset of the investigation. There were several witnesses who pointed out that he was here, trying to kick the door open." The police were able to recover a footprint from the apartment's door itself.

"We located him at 14 Yankee Place, Apartment 7, hiding in a back bedroom area under some covers. He was arrested promptly, brought to the Ellenville Police Station, where he was interviewed, and subsequently arrested and charged with burglary in the second degree and arson in the third degree, both felonies, and unlawful possession of marijuana." He was arraigned before Honorable Matthew Parker, and he was remanded to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail and $200,000 property bond.

Also arrested was Michael Glass, in whose apartment McCarthy was hiding.

"He was found to be in violation of the conditions of his parole, and he was subsequently arrested. A warrant was issued by the parole division, and he was remanded to the Ulster County Jail with no bail. He was found to have been consuming alcohol, and he was on parole for DWI," said Chief Mattracion.

The Ellenville Police Department was aided by the New York State Police's Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Ellenville and members of the Ulster County Sheriff's K-9 Unit.

"It was a very intensive investigation, but a very quick arrest was made," said Mattracion. "We were very fortunate that all the pieces fell into place there…. Fortunately for us there was nobody in the residence when he set the fire, but there very well could've been. We could have had fatalities there."