Man arrested after setting two fires in Lark Street area

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The person responsible for setting two separate fires in Albany on December 4 has been arrested.

At approximately 1:10 a.m., Albany police and firefighters responded to Central Avenue just west of Lark Street for reports of a fire on the sidewalk. Upon arrival, a pile of garbage was found burning near a building. The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters and detectives began to conduct an investigation.

About an hour later, officers and firefighters responded to second call for burning garbage near a home on the 100 block of Lark Street. Upon arrival, a burning pile of garbage at 140 Lark Street, which had already extended to the residence, was located and the residence was immediately evacuated.

Firefighters from the Albany Fire Department were able to extinguish the fire, which caused fire and water damage to both 140 and 142 Lark Street.

Shortly after the call, patrol officers observed a man matching the description of the suspect in the area of Knox Street and Morris Street and stopped him as part of the investigation. Through the investigation, Gerald Kardum, 40, was subsequently identified as the suspect in both fires and was taken into custody.

Kardum has been charged with one count of Arson in the Second Degree and one count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree. He was also arrested in relation to an arrest warrant out of Albany City Criminal Court for an incident of Harassment in the Second Degree, which occurred in March.

Kardum was arraigned this morning on Albany Criminal Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail.