CRANBERRYTWP — It took a "nosy" police officer just minutes to sniff out a suspect in a suspicious fire early this morning that leveled an abandoned barn on Mars Road.

Michael Thomson apparently couldn't pass the officer's smell test.

Township police said Thomson reeked of smoke when he was caught walking near the blaze. Before long, he allegedly admitted to starting the fire.

The 26-year-old Seven Fields man is in the Butler County Prison on arson and other charges.

A motorist about 12:30 a.m. spotted flames coming from the barn and called 911, according to a county dispatcher. The abandoned barn is adjacent to the closed Bait Box Tackle store.

While firefighters battled the blaze, Patrolman William Wilson went looking for suspects or witnesses. He headed down Franklin Road in his cruiser and turned into the Cranberry Commons shopping plaza on Route 228. He noticed a man walking toward Franklin Road.

Wilson noted:"I did smell the strong odor of smoke coming from his person and clothing."

The officer also noticed the suspect had the signs of being in a "barn-like environment" such as dry dirt and cobwebs on his clothes.

Investigators also tracked footprints from the fire scene east on Mars Road to the rear of the shopping center. The sole pattern of Thomson's shoes matched the footprints.

Thomson, in a recorded statement, acknowledged he started the fire, documents said, "by setting fire to paper and cardboard in the barn."

Firefighters remained on the initial attack until about 2:30 a.m. However, they were called back about 6:30 a.m. when the fire rekindled.

District Judge Sue Haggerty arraigned Thomson on felony charges of arson and risking a catastrophe as well as reckless endangerment. He is in the prison on $50,000 bond.