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Wilkes-Barre city council to meet online in special session Thursday

NANTICOKE &mdash; City police allege a man used a propane torch to set fire in a garage behind the former Nanticoke State Hospital earlier this month.
				Surveillance cameras allegedly recorded Matthew John Myslowski, 26, address listed as homeless, holding a propane torch behind the former hospital at 4 a.m. on April 18, about 40 minutes before firefighters responded to the blaze, according to court records.
				The property owner told police he terminated Myslowski about three weeks earlier.
				Myslowski, who has been jailed on an unrelated burglary case filed by Nanticoke police last week, was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke on charges of arson, possession of an explosive device, burglary, criminal trespass, theft and criminal mischief. He remained jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $100,000 bail on the arson related case.
				The former state hospital on West Washington Street was previously Mercy Special Care, Northeast Counseling and Pro Care Health.
				According to the criminal complaint:
				Firefighters responded to the fire in a garage behind the former hospital at 4:55 a.m. on April 18. The garage had no electrical service.
				An investigation by state police deputy fire marshal Trooper Brian Atherholt ruled the cause of the fire arson.
				Robert Rasul, owner of the property, told police surveillance cameras recorded Myslowski and another person on the property at 4:01 a.m. Rasul told police Myslowski was fired about three weeks earlier and was told to stay away from the property, the complaint says.
				Police in the complaint noted a surveillance camera recorded Myslowski holding a propane torch and the other person holding what appeared to be a chainsaw while they walked away from the garage.
				Myslowski was allegedly recorded with a flashlight in his mouth and holding the propane torch when he climbs onto a patio and enters the former Northeast Counseling building on the property.
				Rasul reported propane canisters, a hose torch, a weed trimmer, a lap top computer, a chainsaw and two tank heater heads were stolen from the former Northeast Counseling building, the complaint says.
				Wires to two surveillance cameras were cut, police said.
				When Myslowski was arrested on the unrelated burglary case, police questioned him about the fire.
				Myslowski claimed he was upset because he felt he was being scammed by his former employer and had permission to use a room inside the former Northeast Counseling building. He initially blamed the fire on another person but later admitted he did set a &ldquo;normal fire&rdquo; in the garage using the propane torch, the complaint says.

Police: Fired employee used propane torch to set fire behind former Nanticoke State Hospital