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A Prince George' County grand jury has indicted two firefighters on charges of arson in connection with a fire set at a vacant building in Riverdale in 2008, county State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey announced Oct. 5.

The firefighters are Jerome "Jerry" Engle, 46, of Bowie, a longtime volunteer firefighter with various volunteer departments in the county, and James R. Martinez, 24, of Damascus, a career firefighter with the Montgomery County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Ivey said.

Engle and Martinez volunteered with the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department at the time of the fire, said Prince George's County Fire and EMS Department Chief Eugene Jones.

"The fact that volunteer firefighters were involved in this crime is inexcusable and leave me without words to describe their actions," said Jones at a news conference held Oct. 5 in Upper Marlboro.

The department is continuing the investigation to determine if the two firefighters were involved in the setting of other fires and to see if any other firefighters were involved in the 2008 Riverdale fire, Jones said.

Jones would not say how many additional firefighters are being investigated or the number of other fires being investigated.

Engle and Martinez allegedly set fire to a building located at 5413 Riverdale Road in Riverdale Park on March 17, 2008, according to a statement of charges. The men traveled to the vacant home in a fire department utility truck and used flares to light the fire in the basement, said fire department spokesman Mark Brady. They then returned to the fire station to wait for the alarm to sound, and went back to the house to extinguish the blaze with other firefighters, Brady said.

The Prince George's County Fire and EMS Department's Office of the Fire Marshal, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Montgomery County Fire Explosive Investigators are working together on the continued investigation.

The fire department banned Engle from volunteering with a volunteer agency in the county in the spring when the investigation into the matter began, Jones said. Martinez left the Riverdale VFD about eight months ago, said Stephen Lamphier, president of the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department.

Anyone else under investigation has been operationally suspended, meaning they will not be allowed to participate in firefighting or any other departmental activity, Brady said.

Lamphier would not say whether others at his station were under investigation.

"Other people that were allegedly investigated were not charged today," he said. "We find that as good news."

Engle and Martinez face counts of second-degree arson, burglary, conspiracy to commit second-degree arson, burning with intent to defraud and malicious burning. Martinez also is charged with making a false report. If convicted of all charges, Engle faces up to 51 years in prison and Martinez faces up to 54 years in prison.

Engle also volunteered at Kentland, Bladensburg and Riverdale Heights volunteer stations, Lamphier said. Martinez was most recently employed as a career firefighter with the Montgomery County fire department.

A phone number could not be located for either man and court records did not list any attorneys representing them Oct. 5.

In 2004, Engle received an Emergency Services Award for helping in a team effort to remove an elderly woman from a burning home, according to a Prince George's fire department press release. Martinez played the bagpipes in the Montgomery County Firefighters Pipe Band, according to the organization's Web site.

In April, the county fire department said fires at six vacant homes were under investigation because they were deemed suspicious. Most of the homes were scheduled for demolition or sale. The incidents include fires Feb. 14 at 4603 East West Highway in Riverdale Park; Feb. 27 at 6310 K Street in Fairmount Heights; March 7 at 11207 Livingston Road in Fort Washington; March 8 at 4410 Josephine Ave. in Beltsville; March 27 at 5601 Tilden Road in Bladensburg; and March 29 at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Madison Street in Riverdale Park.

Anyone with information can call the county fire department at 301-77-ARSON.

E-mail Andrea Noble at anoble@gazette.net.