Two men arrested after barn fire charged in string of rural blazes

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Two Norfolk men each face 11 counts of arson in a series of suspicious fires in and around the county over the last three months.

The arrests came after a fire in a vacant barn on Lynn Valley Road, east of Highway 6 in Haldimand County on Sunday night.

Officers from Norfolk and Haldimand OPP, the OPP crime unit, members of the West Region OPP emergency response team and the Haldimand County fire department responded to the fire at about 10:30 p.m.

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Police say no injuries were reported.

About 10 minutes later, officers stopped a pickup truck on Concession 12 Townsend in Norfolk County. Police say it matched the description of a vehicle seen near a suspicious fire in Norfolk in November.

The driver and passenger of the truck were arrested.

Police allege the suspects “were involved in multiple similar incidents throughout Norfolk County between November 2024 and January 2025,” Norfolk OPP said in a news release Monday.

“Through investigative excellence and community partnership, we’ve held those responsible accountable, ensuring justice and restoring community trust,” said Norfolk OPP Insp. Andy Tait, the detachment commander.

Matthew Smith, 30, of Norfolk County has been charged with 11 counts of arson — damage to property and failing to comply with probation order.

Chad Reimer, 43, of Norfolk County is charged with 11 counts of arson — damage to property; and operation while impaired.

The accused are in custody and scheduled to appear for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Monday.

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Last week, Tait confirmed to members of Norfolk’s police services board that police set up a joint task force to tackle the spike in arsons.

Police have been investigating 13 incidents of arson in Norfolk since late October, with four suspicious fires last week alone. Some of the incidents have seen multiple structures catch fire. Sunday’s was in neighbouring Haldimand County.

Five abandoned houses and 12 empty barns or outbuildings in sparsely populated rural areas were targeted, though a working gas station was torched overnight on Jan. 21 and the flames spread to an attached occupied home. Everyone inside escaped safely.

“These fires are very, very concerning to anybody,” said Tait at the meeting. “Someone might say, well, it’s property damage. Yes, but you’re putting live human beings in a position to respond and deal with these fires, and you’re putting them at risk. That really makes me extremely concerned.”

Police did not identify the specific properties related to the charges the two men face.

Suspicious fires under investigation include:

• Oct. 29, 2024 , 11:30 p.m. on Turkey Point Road
• Nov. 12, 2024, 10:38 p.m. on Windham East Quarter Line Road, Simcoe
• Nov. 13, 2024, 1:03 a.m. on Windham Road 13, Simcoe
• Nov. 26, 2024, 10:19 p.m. on Fourteenth Street West, Simcoe
• Nov. 27, 2024, 12:03 a.m. on 10th Concession Road, Langton
• Dec. 11, 2024, 4:09 a.m. on Highway 24 near Concession 11 Townsend
• Dec. 19, 2024, 11:40 p.m. on Concession 10 Townsend, Waterford
• Dec. 27, 2024, 12:33 a.m. on St. John’s Road West, Simcoe
• Jan. 6, 2025, 3:29 a.m. on Windham Road 11, Delhi
• Jan. 19, 2025, 10 p.m. on First Concession Road, Port Rowan
• Jan. 21, 2025, 11:40 p.m. near Concession 6 Townsend and Angling Road
• Jan. 22, 2025 after midnight, gas station on Highway 24.
• Jan. 22, 2025, 2:20 a.m. Brantford Road at Teeterville Road

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The Norfolk County OPP crime unit urges anyone with information about this incident or previously reported incidents to contact Norfolk County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Residents in this or any other affected areas are also encouraged to review their home surveillance systems for any footage that could aid in the investigations.

To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or leave an anonymous tip at helpsolvecrime.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.

With files from J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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