40-year-old charged for alleged arson at Emily Carr University

Oct 15 2019, 4:48 pm

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has announced that a 40-year-old male has been charged in connection to a break-and-enter and arson at Emily Carr University.

Police said in an email that Nathan MacLeod, a Vancouver man, is being charged with two counts of break-and-enter and one count of arson.

The post-secondary institution faced an unplanned closure after a “small fire that took place” on Saturday, October 5. The school was closed to students for a week and recently reopened on Tuesday morning.

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One of the atriums on the University’s fourth floor (Rob Maguire/ECU)

According to a statement from Emily Carr, the fire was fully extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system but the water caused a significant amount of damage to walls and ceilings.

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Industrial blowers being used to prevent mould from forming on the school’s hallways (Rob Maguire/ECU)

“Unfortunately, the complex wall assemblies needed to support the unique needs of an art and design university have made the restoration process more challenging than usual,” writes the school. “While every effort is being made to get Emily Carr back to its original state, unfinished walls or relocated shops, classrooms, and studios will be a regular part of many students’ experiences for several weeks.”

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The fourth floor of the University (Rob Maguire/ECU)

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Restoration staff working in the university’s wood shop (Rob Maguire/ECU)

MacLeod will be appearing in provincial court on Tuesday morning.

Vincent PlanaVincent Plana

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