St. Catharines man busted for arson after starting up dumpster fires

A series of garbage bin and dumpster fires this morning (June 3) at 2 am in downtown St. Catharines quickly caught the attention of both the Niagara Police and St. Catharines Fire Department.

The police reported that garbage bins and dumpsters were all set on fire on King Street, Centre Street, Queenston Street, Niagara Street, and Davidson Street but were extinguished without injury or significant damage to near-by buildings.

Officers in the Queenston Street and Geneva Street area saw a man holding a lighter and a butane torch.  When questioned, he took off on a bicycle and after a short foot-race, he was caught and arrested at 2:20 am.

Tyler McKelvey, 21, of St. Catharines has been charged with arson causing damage to property.

He was held in custody for a video bail hearing to be held today (June 3) at the courthouse in St. Catharines.

Detectives are also investigating three dumpster fires that occurred in the early morning hours of June 2 in St. Catharines – two of which occurred on Ontario Street near Scott Street and one on St. Paul Street. No one was injured from these fires.

Anyone with information about the recent fires is asked to contact detectives at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009504.