Man arrested on arson charges after Simcoe Hotel fire

A man is in custody facing arson charges after police say he set fire to a dumpster in downtown Barrie.

The dumpster fire behind the Simcoe Hotel at the Five Point intersection displaced 29 residents who live in the upper apartments. They were evacuated and cannot return until repairs and the necessary cleanup is completed.

"Setting a fire of that nature is certainly something that is not acceptable. It's not tolerated, and that person is being held accountable," said Peter Leon with the Barrie Police Service.

Upon arrival at 31 Bayfield Street shortly after 7 a.m. Monday, police found a garbage dumpster located on the northeast side of the building on fire.

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Police learned that the fire was intentionally set and that a man had been seen walking away from the area shortly before the fire was detected.

"There's been a lot of different businesses and a lot of different establishments that have maintained that ground floor presence over the history of that building. Structural integrity is something that's going to have to be guaranteed and insured for anybody to get back in," said Leon.

The man, a 30-year-old of no-fixed-address, was located a short distance away and was arrested for arson 23 minutes after the call was received. He was brought to the police station, where the investigation continued.

The accused has been charged with arson - disregard for human life, and arson – causing property damage.

He was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear today by video, with the Ontario Court of Justice in Barrie for a bail hearing.

McFinn's Traditional Irish Pub is on the hotel's ground floor.

On Monday, Carrie Clark, Barrie's deputy fire chief, said both the residential hotel and the pub were damaged by the fire, and that it had infiltrated the pub's rear entrance.

With files by Mike Lang.