A Cherokee County teenager with a penchant for playing with fire -- and telling tall tales -- was responsible for Thursday afternoon's fire that burned several Woodstock townhouses, authorities said on Friday.
The 15-year-old boy, whose name has not been released, initially told investigators that the blaze in the Magnolias at Ridgewalk neighborhood off Towne Lake Parkway started when a pizza began burning in his family's oven, and he tossed the hot pie out the window, sparking a grass fire that spread to several homes.
The pizza story, it turns out, was all a big fib, according to Cherokee County fire spokesman Tim Cavender.
"Late last night, the boy confessed to authorities that he was bored and placed mineral spirits on an action figure and set it on fire," Cherokee County fire spokesman Tim Cavender said Friday.
"At this time, no charges are being brought against the juvenile male," Woodstock police spokeswoman Brittany Duncan said. "However, police and fire officials are mandating that he attend the ‘Youth Fire Setter Intervention' program in order to educate him on the importance of fire safety."
No one was injured in the blaze. But when the fire was out, five townhouses had moderate to severe damage, Cavender said.
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