A Philadelphia man was sentenced to state prison on Thursday for an arson that resulted in damage to a local business and seriously injured to a volunteer firefighter.
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Shayne Holland, 26, received a sentence of 2 ½ to six years from Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Gary Gilman after pleading guilty in November to charges, including two counts of arson and possession of explosive materials. Following his prison term, Holland will serve four years on probation.
The fire, which occurred early on Nov. 5, 2023, caused more than $1 million in damages to the Bucks County Carpet Company in the 800 block of Cedar Avenue in the Croydon section of Bristol Township.
Investigators were able to identify Holland as the fire started through surveillance footage from nearby businesses, authorities said.
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During the response to the blaze, Croydon Fire Company Capt. Albert Fournier was badly injured when he fell more than 12 feet as a catwalk collapsed under him while battling the flames inside the building. A beam subsequently fell on him and fellow firefighters had to remove him using tools, authorities said.
Fournier, who has since been promoted to battalion chief, was treated for his injuries at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia.
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The investigation revealed that Holland had set fire to a pile of trash adjacent to the building, which quickly spread up an exterior wall into the attic.
The blaze forced the evacuation of 10 residents from an attached building, officials said.
Surveillance and social media images, along with body camera footage from a previous traffic stop in Bensalem Township were key in confirming Holland’s identity.
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Fournier and his wife gave victim impact statements to the court, and Bristol Township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito testified before the sentence was handed down.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc Furber pointed to the dangers of arson in his statements before the judge.
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“Arson is a crime that by its very nature puts firefighters and other first responders at risk,” Furber said. “Firefighters’ families are left to worry every time their family members answer the call to duty.”
He added, “This case was a true nightmare scenario for Battalion Chief Fournier and his family. We can all be thankful that he escaped serious injury. It was the decision by one person, the defendant, to light this fire and create untold destruction and risk to residents as well as firefighters. Today’s sentence recognizes that the split-second decision to light a dangerous fire will result in long and life changing consequences for the arsonist.”
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