A Queens County man admits he set the fires that destroyed several buildings on King Street in Bridgewater last year.
After initially denying any involvement, 25-year-old Adrian Thomas Hunt of Greenfield pleaded guilty yesterday.
Hunt was asked whether anyone put him up to starting the fire but did not respond, nor would he provide an explanation as to why he set the fire.
In an agreed statement of facts Hunt said he started the blaze October 22, 2017 by lighting items inside Geeky Robar’s Computers on fire.
Several businesses including Artistic Issues, Geeky Robar’s Computers, Big Daddy’s Liquidation were destroyed.
Restaurant Lana Thai was also damaged during the blaze and has not reopened.
In the statement, Hunt said he did not think of the people who were living upstairs.
Among them was George Crews who had previously lost everything during the Fort McMurray fires.
Another tenant, Liana Druin, did not have insurance and lost over $44,000 worth of household items as well as three cats.
She was home at the time and awoke to the sound of her smoke detector.
Druin left her apartment to check on her neighbour and when she returned for her pets, was overwhelmed by smoke and had to flee.
Hunt will return to court in early January.
He is also charged with one count of break-and-enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca
