Fire at historic downtown Fredericton building deemed suspicious

A fire that caused significant damage to a 192-year-old building in downtown Fredericton might have been intentionally set, a city fire official said Wednesday.

The investigation into the fire Tuesday afternoon is now in the hands of Fredericton police, David McKinley told reporters.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but McKinley said it's been deemed suspicious, meaning "there's a possibility" someone intentionally set it, he said in a follow-up interview Wednesday.

McKinley wouldn't say why fire officials consider it suspicious.

David McKinley, the assistant deputy fire chief in Fredericton, says the back porch and walls, as well as the attic, were the most heavily damaged parts of the building. (Aniekan Etuhube/CBC)

Earlier, police posted a notice on their social media accounts asking for "the public's assistance in identifying a person of interest related to an active file."

Photos attached to the post show a person wearing a blue sweatshirt and backpack standing on a wooden porch.

The initial post did not say where the images were captured or whether the search is related to the fire earlier in the day at 11 Carleton St., a building with historic significance.

Defence Department is owner

After a request for more information, police spokesperson Megan Barker confirmed in an email to CBC News that the person is being sought in connection with the fire which started at about 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Barker said the building is owned by the Department of National Defence, which did not respond to CBC News requests for comment.

The building was known as the militia arms store and was constructed in 1832, according to information from Parks Canada.

It was one of four remaining structures from the British establishment of a garrison in Fredericton in 1784, until the withdrawal of Imperial troops in 1869.

The area, located within what is known as the Historic Garrison District, was designated a national historic site in 1960.

While the building is owned by the federal government, it is used by the City of Fredericton as office space for its employees.

In an interview Wednesday, Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers said she was saddened by the fire, even more so considering the possibility it was intentionally set.

"The suspicion that it was intentional is, is very disheartening," Rogers said.

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers said she was disheartened to learn that a historic building might have been intentionally set on fire. (Aidan Cox/CBC)

"That's a significant building in the national historic district, and it is also, operationally for the city, it's a very important building.

"DND's been very gracious in letting us use it over the years, and so it's quite devastating that something like that happens in our city, and it will have impacts for sure in our operations."

Rogers said the building was used by some staff with the city's tourism department, and more were set to move into the building as seasonal activities in the Historic Garrison District were to ramp up again.

She said the city is now figuring out alternative arrangements for employees who lost their offices.

Most of damage to back, top of building

More than 20 firefighters responded to the fire at the historic former military complex shortly after 3 p.m.

The building was occupied when the fire started, but staff evacuated with no injuries.

David McKinley, the assistant deputy fire chief, said that when firefighters arrived, they found the building's back porch in flames.

The building on Carleton Street is part of the Historic Garrison District and was built in 1832. (Aidan Cox/CBC)

That part of the fire was put out, but the fire had already spread through the walls and into the building's attic.

While only the rear of the building and attic sustained fire damage, the first and second floors were damaged by smoke and water.

The green two-storey building is one of four buildings included as part of the Fredericton Military Compound National Historic Site of Canada.