Arson charge laid in Chatham apartment fire that will keep residents from homes for 'several months'

Police have charged one person, and are now looking for a second,afteran Aug. 25 apartment fire Chatham that will leave residents displaced for months.

According to authorities, the 30-year-old woman from Chatham was arrested and charged then transported to police headquarters and held pending a bail hearing. She was charged with arson with a disregard for human life.

Later Friday afternoon, police said they are also looking for a 48-year-old man who is wanted by police on the same charge.

The man is known to frequent London, Ont. Members of the public are asked not to approach the person.

Emergency crews were called to 99 McNaughton Avenue West for a structure fire just before 6 a.m. Sunday.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent owns the building, whichis a rent-geared-to-income apartment complex.

126 tenants were forced out long term because of the damage. They'restaying at area hotels or with friends or relatives.

"I just saw a great big huge orange flame," said Susan Stoddart, who lived in the building for 12 years, previously told CBC News.

"It was almost like a nightmare," she added.

Eric Labadie, manager of communications for the municipality, said they are unsure at this timewhether the person arrested was a resident of the building.

Re-entry will take "several months"

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent said Friday that while they don't have an exact timeline for when residents will be allowed in the building again, the process will likely be a phased process taking"several months."

"I want to stress that we are doing everything we can to get everyone affected into longer-term stable housing until the building is made safe again," said Josh Myers, Chatham-Kent's director of housing services, in a statement. "Our primary concern is the safety and security of the those displaced."

The Canadian Red Cross has also been contracted to establish an emergency evacuation centre and will be providing meals to evacuees staying at the centre.

Labadie says the evacuation centre has been established and is operating as of Friday afternoon, but he didn't have any information to indicate whether anyone is currently staying there.

The municipality is also working on transitioning residents to longer-term housing, like in retirement homes, while they are displaced, according to Labadie.

The building currently has no power and 'severe" fire damage to the mechanical room.

Residents were allowed to return to the building briefly on Wednesday to retrieve some of their belongings.

Robert Francis,a resident who is staying at the Holiday Inn for the time being, previously told the CBC his goal for that daywas to retrieve his mother's ashes from the ruins of his apartment.

"Everything else,I can rebuild my life," he said.