Halton Regional Police say there is no evidence linking a fire at an abandoned building in Milton to Diwali fireworks, despite claims circulating on social media. Three 14-year-olds have been charged in connection with the blaze.

According to CityNews reporting credited to Lucas Casaletto and Marissa Birnie of The Canadian Press, police charged each teenager with one count of break and enter and one count of arson. The allegations have not been proven in court. The accused cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The Town of Milton said the fire broke out at 700 Main St. on the evening of Nov. 8. A nearby apartment building was evacuated, and firefighters brought the blaze under control shortly before 1:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Video of the fire circulated online alongside posts claiming or suggesting that Diwali fireworks had caused it. CityNews reported that several of those posts came from accounts that publish racist content targeting Indian and South Asian people.

In an email Monday, Halton police Const. Jeff Dillon said “there was no information to suggest the fire was started as a result of Diwali fireworks celebrations.” Police described the fire’s origin as suspicious.

Sources