Morning Read: Port Henry faces arson spree

Firefighters in Port Henry battled a series of dangerous fires late Sunday, all of them allegedly started by one man, 43-year-old Joseph King.

King was arrested after authorities say he nearly struck several firefighters with his vehicle while they were trying to extinguish one of the blazes.

One of the buildings targeted was a large brick structure downtown and authorities told the Plattsburgh Press-Republican that the fire could have threatened a major part of the business district.

Essex County Emergency Services Director Donald Jaquish said the Main Street fire did a lot of damage.

“We’re estimating the damage at well over $500,000.”

Had the main Mountain Lake building gone up in flames, he said, “we would have had a far worse disaster.”

For footage from the fires’ aftermath, check out this footage from WCAX-3 TV.

Tags: champlainvalley, chpv, criminal justice