Man charged with arson, weapon offences in townhouse fire

A Lethbridge man has been charged with multiple offences including arson after a townhouse fire occurred over the weekend.

Police and firefighters responded to a report that a man, armed with a knife, entered a row house along the 800 block of 20 Street North and was pouring gasoline throughout the property. As the unit occupants and neighbors were evacuated, the subject did not comply with police direction and refused to leave the property. As fire crews battled the fire after smoke was observed coming from the second floor, the subject was taken into custody.

32-year-old Kenneth Townsend is charged with 13 offences including arson to property disregard for human life and five counts of failing to comply with the conditions of an undertaking. Townsend was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in court September 23rd.

While the suspect was taken to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, no other injuries were reported. The unit sustained extensive fire and smoke damage, but the fire was kept before it could spread to other units