May 25, 2010 By Josh Krysak 2 min read

Uniontown police are searching for a man accused of risking a catastrophe when he allegedly set fire to an apartment building last month. Officer Chuck David said Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros issued a warrant for the arrest of Mark Ryan Meegan, 26, of Uniontown on four separate felony counts of arson as well as a felony count of risking a catastrophe.

David said that the charges were filed against Meegan after police responded to a fire call at Apartment 4, 43 Searight Ave., at 10:38 a.m. April 18.

David said he could see smoke coming from the west side of the building when he arrived.

He said that Meegan yelled to him from the door of the building and told him that the fire had been extinguished and admitted that he had been burning the coating from copper wire, David said.

David and firefighters entered the building and found that Meegan had been burning wire in a pot on the roof of the apartment outside of his kitchen window.

David said that firefighters extinguished the fire and removed the pot from the residence.

He noted that just a few feet away from the burning wire, Meegan had a 100-pound propane tank and two 20-pound propane tanks.

“They were only several feet from where Meegan was burning, causing a danger to police and fire personnel as well as others in the area,” David said.

Anyone with information regarding Meegan’s whereabouts can call police at 724-430-2929.