Man sets fire to building to video firefighters for social media, Maryland officials say

A 21-year-old videographer set fire to a vacant building to film firefighters extinguishing the blaze for social media posts, Maryland authorities reported.

The man also called 911 to report the fire in Charles County at about 8:30 p.m. Feb. 22, the Office of the State Fire Marshal said in a Friday, Feb. 28, news release.

Fire marshals determined the blaze, which was quickly extinguished, was deliberately set, the office said.

The 911 caller, Joshua Christian-Stanley Jackson, of Prince Frederick, frequently posts video of emergency services responses to various social media sites, officials said.

In a post on the blaze, Jackson said he spotted the fire after making a DoorDash delivery, but an investigation showed he made no deliveries at that time, officials said.

Jackson admitted to setting the fire in order to collect video footage for social media, officials said.

He faces charges of second-degree arson, malicious burning and causing a false fire alarm, officials said.

“Arson is a serious crime that puts lives at risk and places an unnecessary burden on our first responders,” Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray said in the release.

Charles County is about a 70-mile drive southwest from Baltimore.

This story was originally published March 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Man sets fire to building to video firefighters for social media, Maryland officials say."