Update September 13, 2021 a Trial was held and Misty Dunbar, of Elizabethville, has been found guilty on all counts, including attempted murder, for starting a fire at an occupied home in Mount Carmel in 2019.

On Tuesday, August 13, 2019 just after 6 AM a working fire was reported on N. Walnut St. in Mount Carmel. As units started to call responding county advised they had multiple calls on the fire. Shortly after EMS advised county that they could see it from their station. Chief two call responding and immediately upgraded to second alarm status.
Mount Carmel Police Chief Chris Buhay said Patrolman Justin Stelma was among the first emergency responders on scene. According to Stelma, neighbor and owner of the home John Dillow was attempting to extinguish the fire on the front of 434 N. Walnut St. with a fire extinguisher.

Chief Williams stated that firefighters mounted a transitional attack. Main lines from engines parked at the front and rear of the homes were used to suppress the flames on the exterior. That allowed firefighters time to quickly run additional hose lines and when the exterior flames were doused, rush inside and attack the fire from the interior.

Upon arrival Engine two was assigned the Charlie side of the structure while truck two (Camp Alley) and engine three were assigned side alpha (Walnut Street). Engine three deployed a blitz line upon arrival as it was discovered the fire had already jumped the 15 ft. entry between the structures. Truck 2 ladder the original home and opened the roof while Truck 32 cracked the roof on 432 North Walnut (neighboring home). The fire was brought under control in approximately 90 minutes.
The residence of both homes escape without injury but unfortunately 1 Firefighter sustained a minor wrist injury due to a fall Chief Williams confirmed.


Mount Carmel police Department along with the Pa State Police Fire Marshal James Nizinski determined the fire to be arson and that the fire started outside on a side porch after conducting an investigation and reviewing nearby security video.

Angela Koreisl (witness), contacted police about the fire to say Misty Dunbar and Michelle Rhoads confessed they intent to assault an acquaintance, Kelly Witmer, at 434 N. Walnut St. when they could not find her they decided to set the home on fire.
According to arrest documents
When the defendants returned to Koreisl’s home, and they shared “life-changing” news, with Dunbar asking Koreisl, “didn’t you hear the sirens,” according to arrest papers. The women went on that they failed to light a tree on fire and then attempted to ignite grass and leaves before finding a can of kerosene under a porch, arrest papers state. The defendants doused a side porch in kerosene and used a lighter to set fire to the home, police said.

According to police, Dunbar confessed to lighting the fire while Rhoads served as a lookout, citing the use of kerosene.
Borough police charged then charged Dunbar, 23, of Elizabethville, and Rhoads, 23, of Mount Carmel, on Wednesday with 13 counts each including attempted murder and nine arson charges.
Charges filed are as follows: criminal attempt-murder, criminal conspiracy-arson, eight other arson counts, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, loitering and prowling at night.

District Judge William Cole ordered both held without bail in Northumberland County Jail, Coal Township, pending preliminary hearings scheduled for at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21.