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Volunteer firefighter accused of using cigarettes in arsons

FREEPORT, Ill. (AP) - The defense attorney for a northern Illinois firefighter accused of starting five fires says his client will have a mental evaluation.

Twenty-year-old Kenneth Grabow of Orangeville is next due in court July 7. He's accused of tossing lit cigarettes to spark at least two of the blazes.

Grabow joined the volunteer Orangeville Fire Department in August. He's charged with arson and criminal damage to property in connection with fires set at three barns, a shed and an abandoned home in the Orangeville area between April 14 and 19. Estimates are that each fire caused more than $10,000 damage.

Defense attorney Robert Fagan tells The (Freeport) Journal-Standard (http://bit.ly/1XZJ23v ) he doesn't know if Grabow is fit to stand trial or has any mental issues. Fagan says "that's why we're having him evaluated."

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Information from: The Journal-Standard, http://www.journalstandard.com/jshome.taf

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