A male is facing charges after starting a fire inside an Oshawa residence.
On Saturday at approximately 3:40 p.m., Durham Regional Police responded to an assist fire call at a residential triplex in the area of Ortona Avenue and Bloor Street East. Officers arrived on scene and assisted Oshawa Fire Services with traffic control as they worked to extinguish the fire.
Officers subsequently received information that a tenant of the triplex was responsible for intentionally starting the fire. The suspect, who suffered minor injuries from the fire, was taken into custody and transported to a local area hospital.
All occupants were safely evacuated from the triplex. No other injuries have been reported to police.
On May 11, 2026, investigators from the Central East Division Criminal Investigations Branch, with assistance from the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Oshawa Fire Prevention Office, executed a search warrant on the residence to gather evidence.
Phil John Layng, age 57 from Oshawa is charged with: arson/disregard for human life.
He was held for a bail hearing.
