Man's death in S. Jersey jail prompts probe

Authorities yesterday were investigating the death of a Marlton man who was being held at Burlington County Detention Center for allegedly setting fire to several South Jersey businesses.

Michael Alexander Quigg, 42, collapsed at the lockup early Thursday and was taken to Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly, where he died at 2 a.m., authorities said.

Dave Wyche, a county spokesman, said an autopsy was performed on Friday, but results will not be released until toxicology tests are completed in eight to 12 weeks.

In the meantime, the Burlington County Internal Affairs unit is investigating the death. "That's normal procedure when someone dies" in the detention center, Wyche said.

Authorities declined to comment on where Quigg was found in the jail.

Quigg was arrested May 17 by Evesham police driving near an alleged arson fire at Greentree Mortgage Co. on West Lincoln Drive, authorities said.

He was then investigated in connection to several other fires and charged with setting a series of blazes from October until his apprehension, authorities said.

The sites included a Marlton office building, a Moorestown pet store, and two car dealerships in Marlton and Berlin.

Law enforcement agencies in Burlington, Camden and Hunterdon Counties - as well as the state police, FBI, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Homeland Security - also were investigating Quigg's possible involvement in arson fires.

During a hearing last month, Quigg told a judge that he had bipolar disorder and suffered from psychotic behavior.