Ocean County Man Charged With Setting His Berkeley Township Home On Fire

Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ.- On Saturday, following an investigation, a 70-year-old Berkeley Township, New Jersey, man was taken into custody and jailed after being criminally charged in connection with setting his home on fire earlier that day.

     According to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, George DiPierro, 70, of Berkeley Township, New Jersey, was formally charged with three counts of Aggravated Arson. He was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Ocean County Jail pending future court proceedings in Ocean County Superior Court in Toms River, New Jersey.

     According to documents filed in the criminal complaint, on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at around 12:15 p.m., members of the Berkeley Township Police Department and the Berkeley Township Fire Departments responded to a 911 Emergency Call reporting a fire at a home located on Harbor Court in the Township.

     Upon arrival, Police Officers observed smoke on the first floor of the residence, as well as a fire that appeared to have been extinguished. Firefighters arrived and located two additional fires in rooms on the second floor of the home that they quickly extinguished.

     During a subsequent investigation by Ocean County Fire Officials and Ocean County Law Enforcement, Investigators determined that the origin of the fire on the first floor was in the southwest corner of the home, and that the fire was intentionally set by an unknown person using an open flame to combustible materials. The investigation further determined that the two fires on the second floor of the home were set in the same manner in two bedrooms.

     Investigators ultimately identified DiPierro, who lived at the home, as the person responsible for setting all three fires. Following their determination, DiPierro was taken into custody at the scene without incident, transported to the Berkeley Township Police Headquarters, and formally charged with the above-mentioned offenses.

“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”