11-Year-Old Binghamton Boy Charged With Arson

A pre-teen boy has been accused of setting an apartment house fire on Binghamton's West Side.

Authorities say the 11-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree arson in connection with a May 24 blaze at 100 Walnut Street.

The fire was reported around 1:30 on that Friday afternoon. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

City police detectives told WNBF News the boy was seen running from the occupied apartment building shortly before the fire was spotted.

Investigators tracked the youth down, interviewed him and arrested him later that day.

The boy has been arraigned in family court.

Detectives believe the fire may have been started with a lighter that was used to ignite the contents of an aerosol spray can.

The 11-year-old is one of four boys charged with the robbery of a 59-year-old man at Chapin and North streets the previous night.

Two of the other suspects in the robbery are 12-years-old and the other is 14-years-old.