Woman to face arson charges in trailer fire

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MILROY - A fire that started in a mobile home on Dec. 5, at 7 Shafranich Lane in Armagh Township, was intentionally set, police said.

The Pennsylvania State Police Lewistown have charged Penny Deshane Goss, AKA Penny Pringle, with arson and other related charges in connection with the fire.

The state police, along with a fire investigator from the Milroy Fire Co., examined the scene of the fire and concluded it was suspicious.

The evidence at the scene consisted of two sets of curtains and tags on a set of Christmas lights that had fire damage, and there was no damage to the outside of the home, court documents indicate.

Police said they interviewed the mobile home tenants, Bruce Goss and his girlfriend Amber Hatter, who were very upset over the incident because it occurred when their infant son was present.

According to court documents, Hatter told police she was not in the room when the fire broke out, nor was her boyfriend home at the time, however Penny Goss was, and warned Hatter when the fire started. Hatter also told police that Penny Goss had been acting weird before the fire started.

Police said the three locations where fire damage was discovered were inspected and the outlets, face plates and receptacles were pulled from the wall and it was determined they were in good condition with no evidence of any arcing or electrical malfunctions.

Police said they were also told by the tenants that the appliances were in good condition with no known problems.

According to court documents, Goss told Hatter she saw sparks and flames come out of the electrical receptacles.

Police interviewed Goss twice in the last three weeks and found that she changed her story about the fire 12 to 15 times.

At one point during the first interview, Goss allegedly said she may have caught a set of curtains on fire with a cigarette, but denied any knowledge of how the rest of the fires were started.

During the second interview, Penny Goss eventually told police that she accidentally caught both sets of curtains on fire and made up the part of the story about both electrical receptacles catching fire.

Goss remains incarcerated in the Mifflin County Correctional Facility in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.