Suffolk County volunteer firefighter arrested and charged with starting brush fire in Medford

MEDFORD, Long Island (WABC) — A volunteer firefighter in Suffolk County has been arrested for allegedly starting a brush fire in Medford.

According to police, firefighter Jonathan Quiles intentionally started a fire in a wooded area on Mount Vernon Avenue that damaged a 2004 Chevrolet parked nearby.

The fire burned in an area of ​​Twelve Pines Park on Tuesday afternoon. The fire department was on duty on Wednesday morning to extinguish the fire.

It was one of several wildfires in Suffolk County on Wednesday.

Quiles is charged with arson and reckless endangerment.

The Medford Fire Department said it “conducts arson background checks before admitting members and there is no evidence to suggest that this individual may have had a propensity to intentionally set fires.”

They said Quiles was suspended and would be fired if convicted.

The department said, “The incident is being actively investigated by the Suffolk County PD Arson Squad.”

Quiles is scheduled to be arraigned later in the day in Central Islip.

———-

* More news from Long Island

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Do you have a breaking news tip or idea for a story we should cover? Submit it to Eyewitness News using the form below. The terms of use apply to attaching a video or photo.