A man has been sentenced for a three alarm fire that occurred at the Belvedere Tire Shop in the 1400 block of West Belvedere Avenue in northwest Baltimore in September.
Charged with first degree arson, 35 year old Jason Hicks received a ten year suspended sentence and three years of supervised probation on Tuesday. Jason must also serve 100 hours of community service and tour the burn unit at John Hopkins Hospital within six months.
According to witnesses, Jason and several other employees had been using a mixture of tar and gasoline to paint tires when an argument over another employee using his favorite paint brush caused him to recklessly flick a lighter around the flammable concoction. Sparks from the lighter ignited the brush which eventually caused the blaze.
The building was destroyed in the blaze.
Residents as far away as Owings Mills and Columbia reported to smelling the odor of burning rubber and one person who suffered minor burns to the hands was treated at the scene by paramedics.
One hundred firefighters responded to the fire and it took several hours to contain the flames.
The owner of the demolished tire store said he didn't want Jason in prison and would rehire him.
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