Airdrie man admits to setting house on fire twice, pleads guilty to arson

An Airdrie man has pleaded guilty to arson, admitting he set fire to his home twice in 2016, including when contractors were weeks away from completing repairs needed after the first fire. 

Shaun Sandbach pleaded guilty to causing damage by fire or explosion to his home on Silver Springs Way in northwest Airdrie.

On April 13, 2016, Sandbach called 911 to report his house was on fire. 

"There was substantial physical damage to the residence … there was also significant financial costs related to the fire," reads part of an agreed statement of facts read aloud by prosecutor Ron Simenik.

• Airdrie man accused of setting his house on fire twice charged with arson, fraud

Sandbach initially told investigators he was the victim of arson, according to the document.

RCMP and an Airdrie fire investigator determined the fire was arson. 

Sandbach now admits he was the one who set the fire. 

An insurance claim was initiated by Sandbach in April 2016, and through the rest of that year, contractors worked to rebuild.

On Dec. 31, 2016, they were weeks away from completing the repairs when a neighbour called 911 to report Sandbach's house was on fire again.

The Airdrie fire department responded and discovered two intentionally set fires at the home.

One was in the basement under a staircase where two cardboard boxes containing rags soaked in linseed oil had been placed.

The second was under wooden stairs at the garage where another cardboard box with still-smoking rags was discovered. 

Firefighters also discovered a Home Depot pail beside an empty solvent tin.

Investigators found closed-circuit TV footage showing Sandbach buying the items and then bringing them to his home the day before the fire. 

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Michele Hollins will hear sentencing arguments in May from Simenik and defence lawyer Sarvesh Jeet.