Bristol Man Charged with Arson and Burglary

Ronald Januszka, 35, of Bristol was charged late Friday night with arson, burglary and a myriad of related offenses by borough police connected to a fire on Dorrance street yesterday.

Bristol Police  according to officials, were responding to reports of a burglary in progress, around 2:45 p.m. and when police arrived on scene they came across a man dropping beer bottles they would later discover were stolen, police say.

Officers also found a prescription bottle with a Dorrance Street address which led police to check that residence, court records show, discovering a window in the back of the hone smashed and a back door open.

According to the affidavit of probable cause officers spotted  a plastic bottle of gasoline next the door of an oven in the kitchen  prior to firefighters arriving on scene.

Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack said the fire started in the front bedroom and was confined to some contents in the bedroom deferring further comment to police investigators.

Court papers show police believe  Januszka set the fire, however, did not speculate why the suspect set the fire.

No one was injured in the fire that several local fire companies responded to and knocked down quickly.

Damage to the home  from the fire  was said to be significant officials at the scene said.  The house was reportedly ransacked by the suspect authorities said.

After the fire was put down investigators searched the area, with one bristol officer observed with a broken long neck beer bottle placed into evidence.

At one point it was reported there was a second suspect involved in the robbery-arson however at press time there have been no other arrests in connection of another person working with Januszka.

The suspect was arraigned by Doylestown District Court Judge Maggie Snow at midnight and bail was set at 10 percent of $100,000

Januszka is scheduled to appear in Bristol Borough District Court on January 29 for a preliminary hearing.