Arson, related charges filed in fire at South Huntingdon gentlemen's club
Aug. 13—A construction worker with no known address is accused of setting a fire early Saturday at the Filly Gentlemen's Club in South Huntingdon.
Javier Santacruz Ramirez, who is in his early 40s, is charged with aggravated arson, risking a catastrophe, failing to prevent a catastrophe, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and terroristic threats that caused evacuation of the building.
The fire was reported at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday, triggering a response by 10 area fire departments to the club in the 100 block of Motordrome Road. No injuries were reported.
The charges were filed by Trooper First Class Edward Stasko, a state police fire marshal assigned to the Uniontown station. Stasko said a local fire official told him the blaze was suspicious because of an odor of kerosene and because the flames occurred on the outside of the building.
The club was able to reopen for business Saturday evening, according to Turkeytown fire Chief Dan Pergola Jr.
The aggravated arson charge was filed because there were people in the club at the time the fire was set, according to police.
Pergola said damage mostly was contained to the exterior of the building. There was some water damage inside the club, and firefighters had to make some wall openings to check for spread of the fire, he said.
Surveillance video shows a suspect at a gas station purchasing a lighter, using a five-gallon bucket to purchase gasoline and then "digging through the garbage cans located at the fuel pumps and removing some type of combustible material," Stasko said in court documents. Stasko said video also shows the suspect carrying the bucket to the Filly club and moving out of view on the south side of the building, followed by a large fire starting and someone running away to a rear parking lot.
According to Stasko, investigators were able to connect Ramirez to the scene by tracing a sedan from which two men were seen exiting and then entering the club at about 8:17 p.m. Friday. Stasko said the man who owns the car told police he went to the club on the night in question with "Ramon," a worker for a construction company operated by the car owner's mother.
Stasko said on Saturday afternoon he learned state troopers at the Belle Vernon station were speaking with a man about the fire at the club, using the same phone number for "Ramon" that was provided by the construction company owner.
With the help of an officer who is able to speak some Spanish, Stasko interviewed the man, identified as Ramirez, at the station.
Ramirez admitted to investigators that photos showing a man entering the club and entering the gas station were images of him, Stasko said.
According to Stasko, Ramirez told officers he'd slept in the woods overnight and "related being at the club but does not recall the fire at the scene."
Ramirez was arraigned Sunday and was placed in the Westmoreland County Jail after District Judge Jason Buczak denied bond, citing a possible flight risk. Ramirez faces an Aug. 23 preliminary hearing before District Judge Charles Moore.
Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .
