Arson charge laid in MacTavish’s blaze

Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 49, was just released on bail Monday, is now remanded again; homeless suspect claims he witnessed “two culprits” setting fire, identified them to police

A homeless man charged Thursday with setting a fire that devastated a longtime downtown business this week had been in recently on other charges, but was released on bail Monday.

A Fredericton Police Force major crime unit detective laid an information Thursday morning in provincial court against Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 49, of no fixed address.

Joshua Daniel Grant Burden is pictured arriving at the Fredericton courthouse in custody earlier this year. (Photo: Don MacPherson/The Fredericton Independent)

Burden appeared before Judge Pierre Gionet on Thursday - initially by telephone from the police station cellblock and later in person in the courtroom.

The defendant was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to MacTavish’s Source for Sports in downtown Fredericton, and with breaching a probation order requiring him to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.