Two local teens arrested for arson incidents at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study

ByKrystal Knapp

Thanks to a tip from a caller, two local teens have been arrested for allegedly starting five fires at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study last weekend.

The fires were started between Friday, April 5, and Monday, April 8. The five fires collectively caused an estimated $1 million in damage.

One firefighter was injured while fighting one of the fires. A fire was started on the 12th floor of Fine Hall, another fire was started in Jadwin Hall, two fires were started in separate locations at the Princeton University Stadium, and one fire was started in the West Building on the campus of the Institute for Advanced Study.

The two teens were arrested just after 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday after someone in Holly House at Princeton Community Village called the Princeton Police Department to report that two males were starting a fire in the wooded area behind the building.

Officers and detectives from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Princeton Police Department and Princeton University Department of Public Safety tracked the boys to a local residence with the help of the New Jersey State Police Aviation Bureau.

One boy is a resident of Princeton and the other boy is a resident of Montgomery. The boys are 14 and 17, police said.

Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.