A 53-year-old man has been charged in connection with two arson investigations, including one that destroyed a historic building on Yonge Street early last year.
Stewart Poirier, of Toronto, faces nine charges, including attempted murder, two counts of arson causing damage to property and two counts of mischief endangering life.
"We're fairly confident and satisfied that we have sufficient evidence currently before the courts to have Mr. Poirier indicted on these charges," Toronto police Insp. Gary Meissner said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
Poirier is expected to appear in court on July 19.
Meissner said that Poirier, a resident of 51 Division, was arrested last week on warrants for failing to comply with the terms of probation and threatening death.
He was arrested the day after a suspicious fire broke out at a social housing building on Sackville Street in Cabbagetown on Thursday, July 12, where police said Poirier was a former resident.
Poirier was also charged last year with arson in connection with another incident, Meissner added.
The Yonge Street investigation dates back to Jan. 3, 2011, when a massive six-alarm fire erupted on one of the upper floors of the abandoned building at 335 Yonge St. at around 4:05 a.m.
The fire burned for hours and blocked Yonge Street from Dundas Street to Gerrard Street, destroying the old Empress Hotel building built in 1888.
At the height of the blaze, 32 fire trucks were on the scene along with 125 firefighters. Two firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze.
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