Scriba, N.Y. — A homeless man trying to stay warm Friday morning entered a vacant home and started a fire, Oswego County sheriff’s deputies said.
Someone called the Oswego County 911 Center at 10:24 a.m. to say they saw smoke coming from the roof of a home on county Route 63 in Scriba, dispatchers said.
Scriba, Novelis and Oswego fire departments, and sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. When firefighters arrived, they confirmed smoke was showing from the roof.
During their investigation, sheriff’s deputies say they found a homeless man had entered the vacant home and started a fire to stay warm, but the fire instead caused damage to the home. The sheriff’s office did not say how the man started the fire or how much damage the fire caused.
Deputies arrested 44-year-old Travis M. Swett following their investigation. Swett was charged with second-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree criminal mischief, both misdemeanors.
Swett was released on appearance tickets. He is scheduled to answer the charges Feb. 4 in Oswego County CAP Court, deputies said.
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