the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Lyndhurst NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 42-year-old ALEXANDER PLUCHINO of Lyndhurst, NJ, on charges of aggravated arson, arson, risk of widespread injury or damage, criminal mischief, and failure to control or report a fire. The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck, and the Lyndhurst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Jarvis.
On September 30, 2025, at approximately 8:25 a.m., the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Lyndhurst Fire Department responded to a fire at 522 Valley Brook Avenue. Upon arrival, first responders observed fire in the common stairwell of the multi-family apartment building. Arriving police officers began to extinguish the flames and removed a resident who was located near the source of the fire. Following fire suppression efforts by Lyndhurst firefighters, the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Lyndhurst Fire Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad.
Detectives from the Arson Squad, along with investigators from the Bergen County Arson Task Force, responded to the scene and initiated a joint investigation with the Lyndhurst Police Department. The investigation revealed that ALEXANDER PLUCHINO, the resident removed by the responding police officers, intentionally set fire to cardboard, along with other debris, in the common stairwell of 522 Valley Brook Avenue.
As a result of the investigation, ALEXANDER PLUCHINO was charged with second-degree aggravated arson, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1a(2); third-degree arson, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1b(2); fourth-degree creating a risk of widespread injury or damage, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-2c; fourth-degree criminal mischief, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3a(1); and fourth-degree failure to take responsible measure to put out, control, or report a fire, N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1c(2). PLUCHINO was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending his first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, NJ.
Prosecutor Mark Musella states that the charges are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would like to thank the Lyndhurst Police Department, the Lyndhurst Fire Department, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation. Additionally, Prosecutor Musella would like to thank the Ridgewood Fire Department and the Englewood Fire Department, which both participate in the Bergen County Arson Task Force.
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