STAFF PHOTO/SJOERD WITTEVEEN
It took firefighters several hours to knock down a house fire on Prospect Street in Newmarket Wednesday evening. A Toronto woman has been arrested following a police investigation and faces charges of arson.
Newmarket
November 20, 2008 01:56 PM
York Regional Police have arrested a woman in connection to a house fire in Newmarket Wednesday evening.
At about 5 p.m., emergency services were dispatched to a fire at 273 Prospect St.
The house contained several individual apartments and was a rooming house.
Police were able to evacuate the residents, but one did require medical attention for smoke inhalation.
Residents in the neighbourhood close to the fire were also evacuated as a precaution.
During their investigations, police discovered the accused had visited a person in the house prior to the fire and was later located in Toronto.
Charged with arson endangering life is Lori Phipps, 40, of no fixed address.
Ms Phipps has been held in custody and appears in Newmarket court sometime today.
Police said a community effort was needed to provide comfort for the displaced residents.
York Region Transit provided a bus to help keep residents warm while Inn from the Cold shelter provided food and a place to stay and the Red Cross Disaster Unit helped out with residents who were evacuated from other homes.
Prospect Street between Gorham Road and Pearson Street remains closed.