A Schuylkill County man charged with setting a vacant barn on fire earlier this year is in the Carbon County prison after failing to post bail. State police at Hazleton also said that Todd Alan Deem II, 19, of 105 Doreset Rd., New Ringgold, has admitted to setting a second barn fire.

Deem was charged with setting a barn on fire on the night of March 20-21, along German's Road in East Penn Township. The second fire he has admitted to occurred on April 10 along West Lizard Creek Road, also in East Penn Township.In connection with both fires Deem was charged with arson and related offenses, recklessly endangering and criminal mischief.Deem was committed to the county prison in Nesquehoning after failing to post $30,000 bail set for each set of charges for the two fires by District Judge Bruce Appleton, of Palmerton. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for April 27 at 11 a.m. before Appleton.Cpl. Shawn A. Hilbert, deput fire marshal and supervisor of the Fire Marshal Unit at the Hazleton barracks, said he is continuing to investigate other fires that occurred in the area of East Penn and West Penn townshipsDeem admitted to the fires during an interview with Hilbert held on April 19. He was then placed under arrest and formally charged.Assisting state police in the investigation were police from East Penn and West Penn townships, the state Bureau of Forestry, and fire officials from the affected areas and Franklin Township.When interviewed Deem said he was a member of the West Penn Fire Company. However, fire company officials said he is a social member and not an active member of the fire company. That statement was confirmed in a press release issued by Hilbert on Wednesday afternoon.