A Nanaimo male is facing arson charges following a Christmas Day house fire in the Long Lake area.
The fire happened at about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 25 in a group home for adults with psychiatric disabilities and was contained to one bedroom, with some smoke damage throughout the building.
Fire investigators attended and after finding evidence that suggested the fire had been intentionally set, turned the file over to Nanaimo RCMP, who arrested Scott Adam Silver, 27, a resident of the home, and charged him with arson damaging property.
“There was lots of evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “We’re not going to say what [the evidence found] is. Obviously an accelerant of some type was used.”
Silver remains in custody at a provincial correctional institution and has underwent a forensic psychiatric assessment.
The fire temporarily displaced four males and one female living at the group home, but all except Silver have returned.
