A Guelph-Eramosa man has been charged in connection to a series of suspicious fires across Wellington County.
Justin Nicholas Johnathon Beal, 28, of Guelph-Eramosa Township has been charged with six counts of arson for six separate fires taking place between October 2016 and June 2017. He was released on bail from Guelph court on Oct. 30.
Wellington County OPP and fire services throughout Wellington County have been responding to suspicious fires since September of 2016. Most of these fires involved abandoned rural homes and buildings in the southern portion of the county. More than 30 fires have been deemed suspicious during that time frame.
Inspector Scott Lawson, detachment commander of Wellington County OPP, said he is pleased with the arrest.
“We are certainly pleased for the community and the safety for all of our residents in terms of the arrest that we’ve made,” said Lawson.
“We’ve got a lot of work now to do … it’s very much an open and active investigation as it always has been, but even more so now, as we continue working on the additional pieces of the investigation.”
Guelph-Eramosa deputy fire chief Jim Petrik agreed.
“We’re really relieved that the OPP has made such headway in this case,” he said.
“We’re always really nervous in the absence of having anybody in custody that the arsons were going to continue.
“So we feel really encouraged that we’re going to have less chance of having to deal with more of these arsons in the future.”
The OPP, with the assistance of Wellington County Crime Unit, West Region Criminal Operations, OPP Forensic Identification Services and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, undertook a comprehensive investigation into the fires.
Beal is charged in relation to the following fires:
– Oct. 14, 2016 house fire at 5230 Third Line, Guelph-Eramosa;
– Oct. 19, 2016 house fire at 5292 Third Line, Guelph-Eramosa;
– Feb. 3, 2017 shed fire at 6873 Highway 7 Guelph-Eramosa;
– Feb, 3, 2017 house and barn fire at 5413 Township Road 3, Guelph-Eramosa;
– June 25, 2017 shed fire at 5324 Wellington Road 125, Erin; and
– June 25, 2017 house fire 8813 Sideroad 27, Erin.
While there have been over 30 fires deemed suspicious since September 2016, Lawson said the investigation into those cases is ongoing.
“We would certainly expect the community would wonder why there’s outstanding ones that have yet to be solved, we understand that,” he said.
“With it being an active investigation … the fact that we have somebody that’s been charged, from that spins off a bunch of other investigative leads for us.”
Lawson said the OPP is still looking into the possibility of other suspects.
“We are looking at any tips that we get that might lead us to other people that were involved, that’s clearly a focus for us if there were,” he said.
However, Lawson said there were no links to Daniel Richard Morrow, 31, of Waterloo, who has been charged in connection with multiple arsons in Waterloo in July and August.
“We’ve been working with waterloo and our municipal partners on their fires, as we would and should do, we don’t see any linkage at all,” he said.
Petrik said firefighters won’t be changing their current practices.
“Because there’s still potential for outstanding arson situations we’re still going to … be on the lookout for any suspicious activity or any potential evidence,” he said.
Lawson said he wants the public to understand this was not a victimless crime.
“If he’s been charged … with burning of a vacant building, one might say well nobody got hurt, well you know it could have gone horribly wrong and putting the lives of the first responders and public at risk is certainly something that makes arsons very, very, very serious,” he said.
Petrik commended the local police.
“There was some frustration before in terms of … why weren’t the people responsible being caught earlier,” he said.
“I think [the public] should have a lot of confidence in the police that were investigating this.
“They’ve done a lot of incredible work and have come up with a person that may be responsible.”
Lawson encouraged the public to share any information they may have regarding the fires.
“We certainly urge the public to share any information that they may have now that … they are aware of the person that’s been charged,” he said.
