Police in Hamilton have charged a 42-year-old woman with arson and burglary and entry after a huge fire in the city center, which destroyed a historic building.
No one was injured in the blaze, which the fire department said was first reported at 6 a.m. Saturday, but it gutted 206 King Street W., a century-old building that used to be the site of Hamilton Store Fixtures and a radio station.
Const. Indie Bharaj told CBC Hamilton that when police arrived, witnesses said they had seen someone jump out of the building as it was on fire.
“With a description and direction of travel for the person provided by witnesses, police were able to locate the woman on the roof of Jackson Square,” he said.
He was arrested that day and charged after further investigation, he said. She has since been released, Bharaj added, and will be in court at a later date.
The investigation is ongoing, but police are not aware of any other suspects, they said.
The cause of the fire is also still being clarified.
Toronto developer Vernon Shaw, who turned the Pigott building in downtown Hamilton into apartments, had a plan for the building.
Called the Radio Arts Building, the project says it will be 15 floors and will include 117 units between 450 square feet and 550 square feet. Brick and beam offices and commercial sites in front are also planned.
It is not clear how the fire could affect development.
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