NBPS: One in custody and charged with arson in Monday downtown fire

A North Bay man has been arrested and charged with arson, break and enter, and drug possession in the wake of the second fire in the last few months in the former Midas repair shop located at 390 Main St. E.

See also: Fire chief gives update on Midas fire (VIDEO)

NBPS says officers identified the suspect and made the arrest at 5 p.m. Monday, just hours after first responders answered the structure fire call.

Emergency services received reports of smoke coming from the boarded-up business, previously damaged by the February fire. North Bay Fire and Emergency Services deemed the cause of the fire suspicious within one hour of arrival on the scene.

NBPS charged John Michael Eckmeier, 38, of North Bay with:

• One count of Break, Enter a place – commit indictable offence of theft
• One count of Arson – Damage to Property
• One count of Possession of a Schedule I Substance

Police say Eckmeier entered the closed business at approximately 2 p.m. Monday and started the fire in the building. He is being held in custody pending a bail hearing at the North Bay Court House.