This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Two 18-year-old men from Sandy were charged with arson after prosecutors say they dumped gasoline into two manholes and lit them on fire.

Court records state the two men caused more than $5,000 worth of damage to two Sandy manholes on Feb. 10.

The two were charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with arson, a second-degree felony.

Police were called to Bentwood Lane in Sandy shortly after midnight on Feb. 10 after reports of manhole covers being on fire.

According to a police statement,the two men admitted to starting the fire. One told police that he had poured at least two gallons of gasoline into the sewer and around the manhole cover. He also said he made a gasoline trail from the manhole cover so they could safely ignite it.

The other man told police that he placed a lit cigarette on the gasoline trail, but it did not light. Other witnesses told police that the man with the lit cigarette did indeed start the fire.The two manhole covers were blown off the ground, court documents state, and one had extensive damage. -Jessica Miller