Police: Pawtucket arson suspect arrested

"People are tired of not feeling safe," said Sabin Street resident Laura Mailhot. "It could’ve been our house it could’ve been his house and there’s babies in that house."

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE)- The Pawtucket Police Department arrested a suspect on Wednesday evening, who allegedly was responsible for several arsons in the city.

Police said that 25-year-old Helder Mendonca Cardoso was arrested and will be arraigned on Thursday morning.

“Last night around 7 p.m. we came up with the suspect and placed him into custody where he admitted to lighting several of the fires,” said Detective Captain David Holden.

Mendonca Cardoso is facing four counts of first-degree arson, and one count of fourth-degree arson.

Crews responded to the first call just before 3 a.m. for a trash fire in the backyard of a multi-family home on Sabin Street.

“The most concerning part for me is that some of the structures were occupied at the time,” Det. Cpt. Holden explained.

Everyone inside was able to get out, but damage was reported inside the home.

“For all the crazy people out here, you wouldn’t think it would be right here in our neighborhood,” said Curtis Lindsay, a Sabin Street resident.

Minutes later down the road, a trash bin and a car were reported on fire.

The state fire marshal’s office says calls then came in regarding another trash bin on fire outside of a business.

The fifth fire erupted moments later out front of Rick’s Liquors.

Surveillance video provided to ABC6 from outside of Rick’s Liquors shows how quickly that fire grew. The video shows it start off small and then erupt into big flames.

“People are tired of not feeling safe,” said Sabin Street resident Laura Mailhot. “It could’ve been our house it could’ve been his house and there’s babies in that house.”