Overview

• Gerardo Cruz-Rivera, 34, faces two counts of arson of a dwelling and two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle.
• Investigators say the fire was intentionally set at ground level behind 5-7 Union Street in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2024.
• The seven-alarm blaze spread to a neighboring multi-family building as more than a dozen regional departments responded.
• All residents escaped, a firefighter was hospitalized for injuries, and officials credited working smoke alarms with alerting occupants.
• Officials report 12 families or about 30 people were displaced, and the case stems from a Worcester County grand jury indictment.