Man charged with arson following downtown Lethbridge apartment fire

A man is facing charges after a fire over the weekend caused significant damage to a downtown Lethbridge apartment building.

A man is facing charges after a fire over the weekend that caused significant damage to a downtown Lethbridge apartment building.

Fire crews responded to an apartment building in the 600 block of Third Avenue South around 3 a.m. for a reported fire on the second floor.

The fire department contacted police after deeming the blaze was suspicious.

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Lethbridge police investigated further and discovered video showing a man accessing the building’s roof shortly before the fire.

Officers also found evidence of an attempted break-in at one of the units inside the building.

Later that morning, around 9:30 a.m., police found a man matching the description of the suspect and he was arrested without incident.

Tommy Lee Day Rider, 37, is facing multiple charges, including arson to property (disregard for human life), attempted house breaking and possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl).

He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on April 2.

Police said no one was injured in the fire, but the apartment building and two businesses below sustained extensive water damage.