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Amr A. Khodeer, whose Facebook profile shows he's a car enthusiast who studied at Raritan Valley Community College, stole a vehicle from Union Street and sped away, hitting two cars in Bridgewater, as previously reported by Daily Voice. That incident happened around 2:15 p.m., police said.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office announced he'd been charged in the West Main Street fire that broke out around 2:03 p.m., just before he stole the vehicle.
The four-alarm blaze quickly spread, prompting fire companies from multiple towns—including Finderne, Bound Brook, and Franklin—along with emergency medical teams, to rush to the scene to assist in controlling the fire.
The fast-moving fire caused severe damage to the building and neighboring properties, displacing residents and business owners. Several first responders were injured in the blaze including a Somerville police officer who suffered minor injuries and was treated at the hospital, while four firefighters were also injured. Two of the firefighters were treated at the scene, and the others were hospitalized but later released.
The investigation into the fire quickly pointed to Khodeer as a suspect, leading to his arrest. Further details regarding the motive or circumstances surrounding the arson have not been released.
Khodeer is currently facing charges related to the arson, and his case is expected to move forward in the Somerset County court system.
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