A Frostburg, Md., man was arrested on insurance fraud charges, accused of setting his home on fire to collect $10,000 in damages last year.

Bruce Byron Opel, 40, was arrested March 20 at his home and charged with second-degree arson and insurance fraud charges, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office.

In April 2008, a fire occurred at a single-family home owned by Opel under renovation in Ackhart, a small town near Frostburg, Md. The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage and it took 23 firefighters to control the blaze.

Investigators determined that the home was unoccupied and was condemned due to poor conditions of the structure. Deputy state fire marshals concluded that construction debris in the living room had been intentionally set on fire.

As a result of an investigation by deputy state fire marshals and investigators with the Maryland Attorney General’s Office Insurance Fraud Division, the case against Opel was presented to an Allegany County Grand Jury. Opel was later indicted on the charges.

If convicted, Opel could receive a sentence of more than 20 years in prison.