BOSTON
--
A former employee of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was indicted Tuesday for allegedly setting a fire in the agencys headquarters, which housed animals and veterinarians at the time, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
William FitzGerald, 52, of Plymouth, will be arraigned Thursday in Suffolk Superior Court on charges of arson of a dwelling, willful and wanton destruction of property and injury to a firefighter.
The indictments allege that FitzGerald, a former MSPCA building and grounds manager, started a fire on the fourth floor of 350 South Huntington Ave. on Feb. 19.
The MSPCA administration has "cooperated with our investigation since day one," Conley said.
At the time of the fire, the Jamaica Plain building contained most of the agency's offices, sheltered more than 200 animals and served as a residence for a number of veterinarian students. The building was evacuated before any animals or staff members were injured.
The fire, smoke and water caused about $400,000 in damages and destroyed files that dated back to the 1930s, officials said.
Were all extremely lucky that no lives were lost, Conley said. There was a very real potential for injuries and much, much worse.
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