Man arrested for 16 arsons after houses, garages, trash bins torched across Winnipeg

A 19-year-old man is facing charges in connection with a number of arsons that damaged property around Winnipeg. 

The man is accused of setting 16 fires between May 1-9 in Winnipeg's downtown, West End and North End.

He was arrested Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. after a police supervisor spotted the suspect, who matched a description provided by witnesses, on a bicycle near James Carleton Drive and Leila Avenue.

"We believe that it was one person responsible for all these fires and I wouldn't say that the book is closed on this yet," Const. Jay Murray said.

The cost of damage is estimated at $525,000.

The arsonist primarily targeted garages and fences in various neighbourhoods, according to police. They allege the suspect set fire to one house on Manford Close in The Maples.

Murray said the suspect was carrying a number of instruments he allegedly used to set the fires and was subsequently charged with possession of an incendiary material. Murray did not divulge what those materials were.

"Everything found on him was flammable and could easily be set on fire."

Midday fires

The suspect does not have a history of arsons, Murray said. He was not known to police.

Murray said police thought from the beginning that one person might be responsible for the fires.

"I don't think it's very common that you'll find an arsonist here in the city of Winnipeg," he said. "All these fires seemed to happen midday, so there was certainly that connection." 

He said all but two of the fires were set before 3 p.m. The other blazes were ignited in the evening.

Police believe the suspect, who lives in the Amber Trails area, did not know the victims of the fires.

"Fires can be very disruptive, not only to families but to the community, and that's what we saw here," Murray said.

Here are the 16 addresses affected by the suspected arsons:

• 100 block of Balmoral Street (fire set to a garage, which spread to a second garage and garbage bins).
• 100 block of Spence Street (fire set to a garage and a recycling bin).
• 600 block of Wellington Avenue (fire set to a garage and a recycling bin, which spread to a second garage and two houses).
• 900 block of Redwood Avenue (fire set to a garage).
• 1000 block of Machray Avenue (fire set in a yard next to a garage)
• 400 block of Cairnsmore Street (fire set a garage and a utility pole). 
• 1300 block of Magnus Avenue (fire set to a garage).
• 100 block of Albina Way (fire set to a fence).
• 100 block of Timmins Avenue (fire set to a garage and a fence).
• 100 block of Cartwright Road (fire set to a garage).
• 1400 block of Leila Avenue (fire set to a garage and a fence).
• 100 block of Albina Way (fire set to a fence).
• 100 block of Maevista Place (fire set to a garage, vehicle, fence and garbage can).
• 600 block of Sheppard Street (fire set to a shed, fence and a garbage can).
• 100 block of Lavender Bay (fire set to two garages, two vehicles and a fence).
• 100 block of Manford Close (fire set to a house and a fence).