Fugitive wanted for arson arrested in NYC with truck full of laughing gas, police sources say

A man accused of burning down four homes in the Pocono Mountains was arrested in New York City with a truck full of nitrous oxide. 

Sean McDermott, 36, of Brookhaven, Long Island faces a host of charges, including resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of noxious material, police said. 

U-Haul full of laughing gas canisters 

The NYPD received an alert Wednesday from police in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for U-Haul box truck driven by a male suspect that might be headed to New York City, police sources told CBS News New York. McDermott was wanted for arson in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. 

The truck was spotted on 28th Street and Madison Avenue Wednesday night. The NYPD Bomb Squad responded and found the truck contained 52 canisters of nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas, police sources said. 

The truck was cleared for explosives and secured, sources said. 

The NYPD put out an alert citywide for McDermott, and found him just before 11:30 p.m. near Times Square, at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue. Police sources say McDermott resisted arrest, and a subsequent search turned up a crack pipe. 

The NYPD has since told Pennsylvania and New Jersey authorities that he's been taken into custody charges.

Wanted for arson after buring 4 homes down

McDermott had been wanted on felony arson charges, according to the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. He's accused of setting fire to his townhome. That fire then spread to three other homes, police said. 

A witness told police McDermott set several fires in his home throughout the day. According to the police report, "McDermott stated he needed to kill the spiders within the residence." 

McDermott then took off in the U-Haul, and was considered a fugitive until his capture in New York.