Officials offering $10k reward in Denny’s arson

EDGEWOOD, Md (WMAR) - Two fires, one on July 4 and the other on August 3 – officials say they both began in the men’s restroom of the Denny’s on Edgewood Road. Investigators believe they were both intentionally set.

The first fire occurred at approximately 8:45 a.m inside the trash can of the men’s restroom. Officials say damages were minimal and contained to the trash can. The fire in August was much different. That fire is believed to have also begun in the men’s restroom, but it involved the entire structure. The Denny’s restaurant was extensively damaged – the estimate for repairs at about $500,000.

Investigators say a review of video surveillance reveals the same man was in the restaurant at the time of both fires. They say he can been seen leaving the men’s restroom each time.

The man is a white male, about six feet in height with gray hair. In both incidents he wore a dark ball cap. The suspect is shown in photos on the left of the page.

The office of the State Fire Marshal requests those living in the community and anyone passing through to contact the office with any information about the incidents. Contact the Northeast Regional Office of the State Fire Marshal at 410-836-4844 or the Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529.