A homeless man has been charged with arson after allegedly starting a fire that damaged a commercial building in Bangor.
According to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office, shortly before midnight on Monday the Bangor Fire Department responded to a report of a fire at Bangor Braces, a business located at 257 Harlow St. in Bangor.
Bangor firefighters noted suspicious circumstances regarding the origin and cause of the fire and requested assistance from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
A fire investigator from the Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene and determined that the fire had originated near two plastic trash cans outside of the building before it spread inside the building.
The fire was ruled an arson after a thorough examination of the scene, according to the Fire Marshal’s Office.
As a result of the Fire Marshal’s Office investigation, 30-year-old Kerry Smith, described as an “unhoused individual in Bangor,” was identified and arrested.
Smith was charged with arson and was transported to the Penobscot County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
The Fire Marshal’s Office says that the fire caused approximately $20,000 in damage to the building. No injuries were reported, and the building was empty at the time of the fire.
