Arson is suspected after seven fires recently broke in the garbage chutes of the Rochester Apartment complex in Centretown.
Investigators believe a suspected serial arsonist is responsible for the fires, which have occurred over a period of several months at 280 Rochester St.
Ottawa Community Housing, owner of the building, has closed all but two chutes within the complex hoping to stop future fires.
“Our goals are to engage with the residents and ensure that they are safe. If they see anything suspicious, they can report it,” says OCH chief executive Stéphane Giguère.
“What we’ve done is increase the safety patrols around the community as well as an increase in security guards.”
Ken Ringrose, a resident of the apartment building, says it’s not ideal to have only two garbage chutes open.
“It’s a big inconvenience, especially to those who are handicapped or use walkers,” he says. “The only chutes that are open are one on the second floor and one on the 18th floor.”
OCH is working with the Ottawa Police arson unit and the Ottawa Fire Department to determine the source of the fires and prevent future ones from occurring.
“We are still conducting an active investigation,” says Sgt. David Christie of the arson unit. “We are working together to develop strategies that will hopefully identify the cause of the fires.”
Christie says before a fire can be labeled an arson, investigators must eliminate other possible causes. This can be difficult depending on the area of origin and what hazardous elements surround it.
Adelle Forth, a Carleton University forensic psychology professor who researches psychopathic personalities, says there are many reasons why someone may want to start a fire.
“Someone could be setting fires for profit, there are people who do it for revenge or they set fires for diversions,” she says.
Forth adds that, in rare cases, a person may have a mental condition that makes them want to set fires all the time.
“Pyromania is a disruptive, impulsive control disorder. It’s someone who is fascinated by fire and has this irresistible desire to set a fire.”
Other residents have expressed concerns that if a fire gets out of control, someone could get seriously injured. Those who need extra assistance have also said they don’t bother leaving the building anymore when an alarm sounds and that it’s safer to stay in their apartment and wait for help to come to them.
“This is deliberate,” asserts Les Farkas, another Rochester Towers resident.
“Someday, they will succeed on setting (the building) on fire.You go to bed every night and you just kind of wait to see if a fire alarm goes off again.”