After he retired from the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, fire department in 2001 following more than 20 years of service, Ricky Plummer jumped from job to job so often, officials in one of the towns he served reportedly expressed concern.
In September 2014 — after stints in North Yarmouth, Biddeford, Gray and Standish in Maine; Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Cocoa, Florida — Plummer became the new fire chief of Old Orchard Beach.
He was relieved of that command on Friday, the same day investigators descended on the fire department and seized Plummer’s computer, cell phone and other materials.
The next day, Plummer, 59, was arrested at his mother-in-law’s home in Scarborough and charged with arson in connection with a seven-alarm brush and woods fire on April 15 that forced the evacuation of several homes and a condominium complex, and took about 100 firefighters from several communities two hours to extinguish.
Old Orchard Beach Town Manager Larry Mead said in a statement that Plummer was placed on administrative leave until further notice. Mead did not respond to a query whether the leave is paid or unpaid.