A man is accused with starting a fire that destroyed a place of worship in Guelph, Ont. On Sunday, around 10 a.m., flames and thick smoke were seen on the roof of the Al-Fatema Islamic Centre on Stevenson Street South. The Guelph Police Service said the interior of the building was completely destroyed. Damage is estimated at $1 million. Police quickly identified a suspect. “The building’s owner arrived on scene and told officers a man had been observed on security cameras inside when the building was supposed to be vacant earlier in the morning,” they wrote in a press release. The Guelph man was also known to the owners. The 38-year-old was arrested that same day. He’s been charged with arson and three counts of breaching a probation order. Police don’t believed the fire was a hate-motivated act. No further details have been shared about the origin of the fire, but the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office was expected to visit the scene on Monday.
