Man Charged With Setting Fires At Hyannis Fire Station Construction Site

BARNSTABLE (CBS) – Police charged a man with setting fire to equipment at the construction site for a new fire station in Hyannis.

Around 12:20 a.m. on Wednesday, an excavator went up in flames on High School Road. Two smaller fires were also found underneath two temporary office trailers.

A responding officer found 25-year-old Allen Beckwith inside the fenced in construction site. The officer chased Beckwith to a nearby pharmacy.

Police say Beckwith broke into a storage container and set the three fires. He was arrested and charged with three counts of arson, breaking and entering, trespassing, and a probation warrant.

Prosecutors say Beckwith has a history of drug and domestic violence arrests.

Hyannis Fire Chief Peter Burke said the good news is the fire did not set back construction.

"It's certainly disappointing someone would enter into our new home and vandalize it the way they did," said Burke. "So it's very disappointing to us. Fortunately, not a lot of damage and no injuries."

Beckwith was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Wednesday. A judge ordered him held on a probation violation.