Fire and Explosive Investigators Arrest Hyattsville Man For Arson

On Monday, April 4 at approximately 7:09 a.m. MCFRS units responded to 9910 Walker House Road in Gaithersburg for a report of fire in the trash room. First arriving units found the fire had already been extinguished by an occupant of the apartment building.

An eyewitness reported an individual leaving the trash room around the time the fire was discovered. Montgomery County Police were contacted, quickly issued a lookout alert, and were able to locate a suspect matching the witness description a short time later at the Gaithersburg Public Library.

While still on scene of the trash room fire at 9910 Walker House Road, occupants from 9904 and 9902 Walker House Road alerted fire and rescue personnel to small fires that had occurred in the trash rooms in those buildings as well. MCFRS Fire Investigators were called to the scene and confirmed the fires had been intentionally set in all three buildings.  

As a result of the investigation, Montgomery County Fire Investigators have arrested Theophilus Robinson, age 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland.  He has been charged with three (3) counts of Arson in the first-degree and three (3) counts of Reckless Endangerment. He is currently being processed and held at the Central Processing Unit on Seven Locks Road in Rockville.

The investigation is ongoing. Fire Investigators indicate there have been multiple, and similar, fires in close proximity to Walker House Road in recent months, as well as in the greater Silver Spring area. Anyone with information regarding Mr. Robinson, or any suspicious fires in the area, are asked to contact the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Arson Tip Line at 240.777.2263.