Firefighter Charged With Setting Blaze That Killed Responder, Faces Murder And Arson Charges

WELCH, W. Va. (AP) — Authorities in West Virginia say a volunteer firefighter accused of setting a blaze that killed a fellow fireman has been charged with murder and arson.

A criminal complaint shows that 36-year-old Robert Lee Beckner was charged with first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree arson on Thursday.

An investigator with the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office wrote that Beckner confessed to setting a blaze at his own home in Iaeger last weekend.

Officials said 42-year-old Russell Roberson was responding with the local volunteer fire department when he was fatally injured while attempting to save a man nearby.

It's unclear whether Beckner has an attorney who can comment for him.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)