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Volunteer fireman accused of starting fires in Chesterfield County

By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com
By Greg Suskin, wsoctv.com

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — A volunteer firefighter is accused of setting at least two fires in Chesterfield County over the last several months.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Sheriff's Office charged Christian Hargett, 17, with second-degree arson after an abandoned house on White Plains Church Road in Jefferson was set ablaze Wednesday afternoon.

Deputies said Hargett stayed and helped fight the fire they believe he started.

He even suffered some heat exhaustion and was checked out by emergency medical services personnel.

Deputies told Channel 9’s Greg Suskin he was spotted on a neighbor's surveillance cameras before the fire started.

"I'm shocked. I really am I'm shocked,” said Joe Wallace, Hargett’s uncle.

Hargett is accused of setting fires in at least two places in the county.

Deputies said Hargett admitted to setting another fire to the Oak Hill Masonic Lodge in May, destroying two buildings.

(Christian Hargett)

Lt. Wayne Jordan, of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, said that when leaving the station on a fire call, Hargett was often the first one there.

"I think he was just eager to get into the action and stepped out a little too far,” Jordan said. “Several fires that we were investigating, he was the first one on the scene. He was the first one that radioed it in. He was the first one that made the 911 call."

Hargett is with the High Point Volunteer Fire Department. The Pageland fire chief said Hargett used to volunteer there as well, but he resigned several months ago. Deputies said it was shortly after that when the suspicious fires started around Pageland.

SLED agents are investigating other suspicious fires over the last several months and more charges are expected.

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