Man faces arson charge in Garrison fire

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A 28-year-old Fredericton man has been charged with arson in the fire that badly damaged a historic Garrison Building in downtown Fredericton earlier this month.

Fredericton police say Cole Christopher Harris was arrested on Wednesday. He was in court Thursday, charged with arson with disregard for human life and breach of probation.

The arrest followed a callout from police shortly after the fire for a “person of interest” in the case, issuing a surveillance camera photo of a man in a blue hoodie who appeared to be behind the wooden Garrison building.

Police confirmed the man in the photo is Harris, and said the public is to thank for helping in the arrest.

“Tips from the public were able to help police in the investigation of the fire,” police said in a news release announcing the arrest. “Footage captured on the city’s public safety cameras, as well as video captured by local downtown businesses, were also invaluable throughout the investigation.”

The fire, on March 12, badly damaged the wooden structure that was built in 1832 to store militia equipment and later served as an armoury caretaker’s home and a hospital. It’s one of a few surviving military buildings from the city’s colonial era and the only wooden one in the Garrison District. 

It’s still unknown whether the building can be saved.

Fredericton Fire Department assistant deputy chief Dave McKinley said the fire was contained mostly to the upstairs and attic space, but the lower levels sustained extensive water damage. 

The building is owned by National Defence, which has been investigating the total damage and whether it can be salvaged.

“The potential loss of this building is tragic,” National Defence spokesperson Kened Sadiku said in an emailed statement as it started its investigation.

Police say Harris remains in custody until his next court appearance.