Man charged with arson from Mattoon fire

MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — A man has been arrested and charged with arson for lighting an abandoned trailer on fire.

After firefighters on scene extinguished the fire that happened on April 17, investigators looked into the cause and determined it was a probable arson fire.

Mattoon Fire Department then contacted the police department for assistance, who collected surveillance video from area businesses close to the scene of the fire. The video helped find a person of interest.

Police say 32-year-old Lawrence Moritz admitted to starting the fire during questioning. They arrested and charged him Thursday. Moritz was then transported to Coles County Safety & Detention Center.

The Mattoon Fire Department said in a release they would like to thank the Mattoon Police Department for their hard work on this case, along with the community partners who provided the surveillance video.

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