8th fire in new Bradford community destroys house build, damages another
Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with an arson investigation after two more fires in a new Bradford community.
On Sunday around 4:30 a.m., emergency crews received reports about two separate structure fires in new homes yet to be occupied on Rowe Street in Bond Head.
Bradford West Gwillimbury Deputy Fire Chief Steve Hall told CTV News one of the houses is "a total loss."
No injuries were reported.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Authorities believe the weekend fires were intentionally set and called the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office to assist with the investigation.
Last week, crews were called about another suspected arson at a home under construction in the same development. In June, two more new builds were significantly damaged by what is believed to have been intentionally set fires.
And in February, two more newly constructed homes sustained damage as flames spread inside. Officials say both houses were close to being ready for occupancy.
South Simcoe police say Sunday's incident marks the eighth residential fire in the new development on Rowe Street north of 88, west of Highway 27.
"We know that this is a trend, just in speaking with our agency partners, throughout the province," said South Simcoe Police Staff Sgt. Dave Caccia.
A spokesperson with Northbridge Financial Corporation, a leading insurance provider for homebuilders, told CTV News that in 2023, it saw 10 times more suspicious fires in residential homebuilding than in the previous five years combined.
Still, the motive remains unclear, with no arrests to date in any of the incidents on Rowe Street.
Police urge anyone with information on these incidents to contact the authorities at 905-775-3311 or leave a tip with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to remain anonymous.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than half of human trafficking incidents in Canada remain unsolved
More than half of human trafficking incidents remained unsolved in Canada by police as the number of incidents increased over the past decade, according to new data released Friday.
Human remains found in Markham, Ont. in 1980 belonged to prison escapee: police
More than 44 years after human remains were found in a rural area of Markham, Ont., police are revealing that the deceased was an inmate who had escaped prison just a month before his body was found.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Manitoba RCMP identify infant human remains, asking public for help with investigation
Manitoba RCMP are looking for more information after the remains of an infant were identified.
Those typing monkeys will never produce Shakespeare's works, mathematicians say
Talented though they may be, monkeys will never type out the complete works of William Shakespeare, or even a short book, a new study suggests.
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
'I couldn't stay home': Canadian with no prior military training joins Ukrainian forces
In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Adam Oake, a Canadian with no prior military training, sold all of his Toronto Maple Leafs memorabilia to buy a plane ticket.
Children's doctors reporting unusual increase in walking pneumonia cases in Canada
Children's hospitals across the country are seeing an unusual increase in the number of serious and more complicated cases of walking pneumonia affecting much younger patients, according to medical experts.
Life with narcolepsy: 'It's not a joke, it's a very serious illness'
Matthew Horsnell began falling asleep for no reason when he was in sixth grade.