A 28-year-old London man is facing multiple arson charges after allegedly starting three separate fires along Hamilton Road over the span of just three days, causing approximately $3,000 in damages.
The whole ordeal began on Sunday, June 1st around 1 p.m., when Kenneth Darren Simpson allegedly gathered pieces of wood behind a business in the 400-block of Hamilton Road. According to London Police Service, Simpson piled the wood behind a nearby dumpster, set it ablaze, and then placed a wooden pallet on top of the active fire before casually leaving the area.
But here’s where things got messy – the fire didn’t stay put. The flames spread to a wooden fence running along the south side of the parking lot and even reached a shed on a neighbouring property. Multiple people called 9-1-1, and the London Fire Department had to rush in to put out the blaze.
The entire incident was caught on video surveillance, which kicked off the police investigation. But apparently, one fire wasn’t enough.
Two days later, on Monday, June 3rd at around 6:30 a.m., Simpson allegedly returned to the same Hamilton Road location for round two. This time, he reportedly started another fire behind the dumpster using pallets and other debris. A witness spotted him leaving the area and contacted police, prompting another visit from the fire department to extinguish the flames.
By this point, the London Police Service Street Crime Unit had taken over the investigations. But the day wasn’t over yet.
That same evening around 7 p.m., Simpson allegedly struck again – this time at a place of worship in the 600-block of Hamilton Road. He reportedly started another fire outside the building, leading to several citizens calling 9-1-1 for emergency services. The fire department once again had to respond to put out the flames.
The pattern was becoming pretty clear to investigators, who determined that the same person was responsible for all three incidents. At approximately 7:40 p.m., Simpson was located and arrested near Egerton and Trafalgar streets.
Simpson has been charged with three counts of arson causing damage to property, plus breach of probation. He remains in custody and was expected to appear in London court the following day.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported across any of the three fire incidents, though the total property damage reached an estimated $3,000.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about these incidents to contact the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.