21-year-old charged in connection to 3 suspicious fires in Mount Forest

A fire consumes a structure in Mount Forest on June 4. (Minto Fire/Submitted)

Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged an individual in relation to several suspicious fires in Mount Forest in June.

Police responded to reports of a structure fire on Sligo Road West and a shed/vehicle fire on Cork Street, in the early morning hours of June 4. Police said they also received a report that a yard waste bag was set on fire at a residence on Colcleugh Avenue.

Police said the three fires were in close proximity to each other.

21-YEAR-OLD CHARGED

As a result of an investigation, a 21-year-old from Mount Forest was charged with three counts of arson, damage to property and one count of arson, disregard for human life.

Police said the accused has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.

In early June, OPP said there were a total of five suspicious fires in five days.

Police confirmed in an email that the accused is facing charges for three of the fires in our previous reporting. A youth was charged in relation to another one of those fires and officers are continuing to investigate the others that have occurred recently.

MORE ON THE THREE FIRES

In June OPP told CTV News, the first fire caused an estimated over $1 million in damages. Community members told CTV News that the fire happened at Wellington Produce Packaging.

Less than 30 minutes later, firefighters responded to the two fires at a home on Cork Street.

No injuries were reported in any of the fires.