Arrests made in Norfolk County suspicious fires, residents breathe a sigh of relief

Police have arrested two suspects in string of arsons across Norfolk County, CTV London's Gerry Dewan has the details.

Stephan Yaworski surveys his property on Concession 6 Townsend and the burned out home that sits on it, “It’s actually kind of sad. We had a pretty good plan for it.”

Yaworski purchased the farm property, and buildings that sit on it, over two years ago.

The goal was to extensively refurbish the home that sits near the roadway, sever the land it’s on and sell it off. The home went up in flames early Wednesday morning of last week, “We had just started maybe a week (before the fire). Yeah, we had just started taking some of the stuff out.”

Yaworski said the 14 reported suspicious fires dating back to November made everyone uneasy, with his own family taking extra precautions, “Making sure the gates are all closed every night where we live, and house is locked down and everything else.”

On Monday Norfolk OPP announced that two Norfolk County men, 30-year-old Matthew Smith, and 43-year-old Chad Reimer, had been arrested just before 11:00 p.m. on Sunday evening following another barn fire.

Inspector Andy Tait is commander of the Norfolk OPP detachment. He said all officers were anxious to see this case resolved, “I don’t think there was a platoon or a platoon member that wasn’t impacted in some way with having to attend a fire scene and being involved in this.”

Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin said everyone in her community was on high alert and trying to help police in any way they could, “Everybody’s concerned for themselves, their own property and their neighbors. It contributes to helping move the case along.”

The fires were also putting enormous demands on the volunteer fire department. There were three fires on the night the home on Stephan Yaworski’s property burned - including one at a gas station in the south end of the county.

It was a blustery winter night with minus 22-degree temperatures. Crews had already responded to a number of collisions in the area, but Chief Gord Stilwell said that first responders were unwavering, “The professionalism with our volunteers, they don’t know when the call comes in. Whether it’s a suspicious fire or it’s actually somebody that’s in need. So, they respond the same consistently.”

While there were 14 suspicious fires since November, to this point, 11 arson charges were laid against each man. Police say that the investigation is ongoing and they haven’t ruled out the possibility of more charges, or more arrests.

They haven’t disclosed how the fires were set, possible motivation, or if there was a pattern to the fires, but they believe residents can feel confident this string of suspicious fires has been addressed.

Stephan Yaworski said community members area relieved to hear that news, “Very, very grateful. My wife especially, was very anxious about all of this. There was two fires within less than a kilometer from our house where we live.”

Yaworski said he did have insurance, but the process of filing a claim means completing the work on the property will be delayed.