A 17-year-old boy has been accused of helping to start a massive wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey.
The inferno scorched thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of 5,000 people.
The teenager, whose identity has not been disclosed by officials, was taken into custody on Thursday.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, he has been charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension.
He is the second person to be arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred last Tuesday and has been named the Jones Road Wildfire.
Last week, 19-year-old Joseph Kling was also arrested and charged with third-degree arson and second-degree aggravated arson.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that Kling has since also been charged with hindering apprehension.
Prosecutors accuse Kling and the 17-year-old of setting wooden pallets on fire near Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown before leaving the area without fully extinguishing the blaze.
