Pictou County District RCMP have charged a man in relation to an arson that occurred on Pictou
Landing Road in Hillside.
The fire was reported Sunday morning at approximately 3:05 a.m. Upon arrival, police learned that the fire had been deliberately set while three people were in the home. The occupants told police that they smelled gasoline just before they began to smell smoke and they quickly evacuated the home as it went up in flames. The home was severely damaged by the fire. The fire departments were able to keep the blaze from spreading to any nearby homes. No one was hurt
Police say officers had been called to the same home on July 28, where a man uttered threats to burn the home down but had fled the area prior to police arrival.
Police say investigators were able to gather additional evidence and determine that the same man who uttered the threats, had followed through and committed the arson. Police say later on Sunday after a short foot chase, police arrested 35-year-old Scott Mitchell Anderson of New Glasgow.
Anderson faces charges of arson-disregard for human life, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and uttering threats to property.
Police remanded Anderson into custody pending a bail hearing. he is set to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on Thursday.
The investigation is continuing with support from the provincial Fire Marshal’s Office.