2nd Bank St. fire deemed arson, man charged in 1st

The second of two recent fires at a building in downtown Ottawa was deliberately started, police said Thursday, the same day a man was charged with arson over the first fire.

Robert Patrick Gill, 31, remained in custody Thursday after an initial court appearance to face one count of breaking and entering and one count of arson in connection with a fire at 275 Bank St. on Sept. 15, Ottawa police said in a release.

The Ontario Fire Marshal's office said a fire at the same building  Wednesday was also set by an arsonist.

Gill was arrested Wednesday afternoon a few blocks north of the four-storey brick building owned by Primecorp Commercial Realty.

The Sept. 15 fire started on the second and fourth floors and caused more than $1.2 million damage to building, which has shops and restaurants on the main floor, and tenants on upper floors, including the Bangladesh high commission and the U.S. Defence Contract Management Agency.

There is so far no evidence that the building was targeted because of its tenants, police said.

After the first fire, investigators discovered several break-ins in the building and evidence of arson, police said.

A second fire broke out on the fourth floor Wednesday, but was contained in the office of the Canadian Co-operative Association.