In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 18, 2020, Halton Regional police responded to reports of a fire at an apartment complex on Churchill Avenue in Oakville. Churchill runs between the North East Service Road and Leighland Avenue just west of Oakville Place.
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The fire alarm had been pulled and an extinguisher had been deployed on the second floor causing tenants to fear for their safety. As a result, several occupants were evacuated and a woman was injured after jumping from the second storey.
After investigating the incident further, Halton Regional Police officers determined that at no point was there a fire in the building. Police located and arrested the male responsible for pulling the fire alarm and deploying the extinguisher. He was found near the apartment building.
A 51 year-old man of no fixed address has been charged with:
- Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm
- Mischief
- Fail to comply with a Probation Order
The suspect was held pending a bail hearing.
How to provide a witness statement
Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact Detective Constable Kim Newton at Halton Regional Police Service 2 District (Oakville) 905-825-4747 ext. 2216.
If you wish to remain anonymous you can submit tips to Halton Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Presumption of Innocence
Please note that persons charged are considered innocent and can only be proven guilty by a court of law. Due to the presumption of innocence Oakville News does not published the name(s) of suspect(s). Halton Regional Police Service does typically post suspect(s) name(s) on their website.