A 68-year-old man is facing an arson charge after a fire destroyed a church in Saint-Simon, N.B., on Monday morning. Emergency crews responded to a reported fire at a “religious establishment” on Chemin LeBouthillier around 4:07 a.m., according to an RCMP news release. “The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and the building is considered a total loss,” the news release reads. Chief Luc Dugas of the Caraquet Fire Department said four other buildings – including a community hall and a cottage – were damaged in the fire. The New Brunswick Office of the Fire Marshal found the fire was intentionally set. Police arrested Gilles Mallet from Saint-Simon on Monday. He was remanded into custody and is scheduled to have a bail hearing in court on Friday. Anyone with information on the fire is asked to call police at 506-726-5222, or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or at www.crimenb.ca. With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Derek Haggett For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
