David Scott Young, the Banff Road resident charged with arson May 4, had been troubled for some time, according to a neighbour, and planned to burn down his North Toronto house.
“He told one neighbour he was going to set his house on fire,” said Marie Edwards, who lives some doors down from the 41-year-old. “Of course the neighbour didn’t believe him. Who would?”
According to Edwards, Young had tried to sell his house several times. When the neighbour asked for an update, Young became mad. She also said he could be quite kind and that he was sympathetic when her husband passed away.
“The fact is he was always a nice guy. I feel very sorry for him and his family,” said Edwards.
Captain David Eckerman, from Toronto Fire Services, said the department received a call at 11 p.m. the night of the fire and that witnesses had seen Young with flaming clothing in the house.
Edwards said the neighbour who made the call awoke to a fire alarm and, after calling officials, knocked on Young’s door.
“I think he planned on going down with the house,” said Edwards. “When the neighbour knocked … he snapped out of it and ran out.”
Eckerman said firefighters found several small, contained fires. There was approximately $50,000 damage to the house.