4 charged in fires set at Burlington, NJ industrial buildings

BURLINGTON CITY — Three men and a woman were charged with arson at abandoned industrial buildings in April and June.

Two buildings were destroyed and two were damaged at the former U.S. Pipe Foundry and McNeal Mansion on East Pearl Street, which is private property.

The main building of the property was not damaged, according to police.

Video submitted by a resident was key to making the arrests.

Footage shared from a home security system shows a vehicle entering the property on East Pearl Boulevard and then leaving after both fires had been set on both dates, according to police.

After posting the video on their department Facebook page, a tip led investigators to find the vehicle in Gloucester Township and the suspects. Police did not explain how the four are connected.

Gabriel Vance, 20, from Berlin, was charged with two counts each of arson, criminal mischief and criminal trespassing. He is being held in the Burlington County Jail pending a court appearance.

Summer Wisor, 20, of Sicklerville, Daniel Badecki, 18, of Audubon, and Ryan Gibbs, 19, of Blackwood, were charged with two counts of criminal mischief and criminal trespassing. They were released pending a court appearance.

Police are also investigating a motive for the fire and their potential involvement with other blazes in the area. They asked anyone with information to call 609-386-0262 Ext. 270.

The city closed the entire property as an emergency disaster area, which limits access to only police and investigators.

Police Chief John Fine told the Cherry Hill Courier-Post that the fire destroyed a large carriage house and the former U.S. Pipe infirmary, which have both been demolished.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ