Concerned residents who noticed a man who appeared to be trying to set a house in Fortune on fire yesterday afternoon, alerted police and that led to the arrest of a 46-year-old man.

RCMP on the Burin Peninsula received calls from the public indicating that a man was causing damage to a home, and attempting to set the house on fire. They also reported that he had a knife and was waving it about in an aggressive manner.

The man was identified as Michael Billard of Fortune, who fled the scene on an ATV. He was arrested at his home following an extensive search.

He’s facing charges of arson, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, uttering threats, damage to property, and causing damage to a vehicle.