Arson

Blais wrote in court files that Steven Hersom, who lives at the address, was at work at the time of the fire, but that Brittany Hersom was inside the home with eight minor children that she was watching. The court record states that at 1:05 p.m. Brittany Hersom received a call from a neighbor who reported they saw smoke and flames coming from the side of the garage. She also said the neighbors called 911 while she got the children out of the home. Brittany also stated that the neighbor tried to extinguish the fire.

According to court files, neighbor Timothy Collins told police he was in his trailer when he smelled smoke. He said that he went to look at the site where a different trailer had recently burned. After not seeing anything, he started to return to his home when he saw smoke and fire coming from 33 Vigario Lane. Neighbor Cassandra St. Onge reported that Labor had just returned from a walk when the smell of smoke was detected. St. Onge told police that Labor had left the area with an empty Gatorade bottle with paper stuffed inside and a lighter but did not have the bottle when he returned. St. Onge told police she believed Labor started the fire and that he had come from that direction.

Blais said that during questioning, Labor denied knowing anything about the fire. According to the affidavit, Labor told authorities that he had gone for a walk but never went toward 33 Vigario Lane. However, after further conversation, Labor told police he walked down to the rocks between 33 and 59 Vigario Lane. The affidavit states Labor changed his story again and stated the house was supposed to be his, and the deed says so.

"The defendant then stated words to the effect, 'That's why I did it,'” Blais' report states.

Labor then allegedly told police how he set the fire, but stated that he thought it would just burn the grass.

This is the second fire on Vigario Lane within the past few weeks. Blais said in an email Tuesday that the fire remains under investigation.