Churches set ablaze
Charges in Cannington arson spree

By BRETT CLARKSON, SUN MEDIA
Monday, October 8, 2007

CANNINGTON -- A local teen who was out on bail is accused of burning down a 144-year-old church, setting fire to the basement of another local church, and torching four cars in an early morning attack in this small town southeast of Lake Simcoe.

The 17-year-old suspect can't be identified because he's a young offender, but police said he faces 15 charges in connection with yesterday's fires and will today appear in court for a bail hearing.

The Knox Presbyterian Church on Cameron St. E. was completely ravaged and suffered a complete roof collapse in the blaze, which police believe was set sometime after 4 a.m. yesterday. Nobody was injured in the fires, but many locals were devastated and angry over the loss of the massive, historic church.

'DISGUSTING'

"It's disgusting, it's sick," said local resident Kevin Boyle, 38.

"It's a shame," said John Brook, 50, who lives across the street from the church and watched the flames from the main window shoot high above the tower on its east side.

Because of the extensive damage, the historic church will be levelled, police said.

"The church is going to be destroyed -- it can't be saved," said Det.-Sgt. Herb Curwain of Durham Regional Police. "And it's a landmark. The church is beyond repair and it will be demolished within the next couple of days."

Just a few blocks away on Laidlaw St. W., the Trinity United Church was sealed off yesterday as investigators pored over the burn damage inside that church. The damage was far less serious than the Knox fire.

Two doors away from the Trinity United Church, three vehicles in the driveway of local resident Arthur Wood had been set ablaze. Wood, 65, who has lived at the house since 1963, said he doesn't know the accused and has no idea why an alleged arsonist would target his property.

An old Cadillac, a pick-up truck, and a dump truck used in Wood's backhoe and bulldozer business were set ablaze, with the Caddy and pick-up destroyed.

"No, I don't know him," Wood said. "He must be mentally unbalanced. You'd have to be, wouldn't you?"

Another local teen who knows the accused said the boy had been charged after reportedly stealing a car and that he had a curfew. Curwain said yesterday one of the 15 charges relates to breaching the conditions of his release from the previous charges.

A dark blue Dodge Caravan SE parked between the local LCBO and May's Chinese Restaurant -- about halfway between the two churches -- on Cameron St. E. was also burned in the rampage.

It is the third traumatic incident to happen to the small town of 2,000 in the past year and a half.

In May 2006, local man Leroy Sayeau, 48, was murdered in his apartment. Shane Latour, 27, a local resident, was charged. Then, in August, retired teacher Don Shearer and his son Andrew, 17, were found dead in their farmhouse not far from yesterday's fires.