Early Sunday morning an altercation between homeowners and firefighters occurred at a house fire incident in Franklin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania according to police.
The incident led to the arrest of two individuals, Grace Mason and Bruce Bredes, officials announced Wednesday.
Officials said at approximately 1:35 am on October 22, 2023, emergency services were dispatched to Thompson Circle in response to an active house fire. Arriving firefighters found an attached garage fully involved with flames extending to the home. Given the severity of the situation, a tanker task force was requested to provide additional firefighting resources.
Shortly after arrival Command requested Pennsylvania State Police to the scene due to what he described as irate homeowners. When dispatchers asked for additional details Command reported that the home owners were attacking his firefighters.
Troopers arrived at the scene and attempted to detain the individuals involved in the altercation and to keep them at a safe distance from the burning structure. During the process, two of the three individuals at the scene resisted the Troopers’ attempts to control the situation. Physical restraint was necessary to subdue the individuals according to police.
In the course of this altercation, two Troopers sustained minor injuries as they grappled to bring the situation under control. The two individuals who resisted, Grace Mason and Bruce Bredes, were subsequently arrested on multiple charges related to the incident. They were then transported to the Chester County Prison.
The third individual present at the scene was released without charges.