VANCOUVER—Police say Crown counsel has approved charges against a 23-year-old man accused of setting fires at a college in Vancouver.

Const. Jason Doucette says in a news release first responders received reports of a suspicious fire at Langara College just before noon on Monday.

He says a suspect had allegedly entered the college with improvised incendiary devices, and it appears at least two devices detonated, causing fires, before the suspect escaped from the area.

Doucette says police quickly identified Nasradin Abdusamad Ali as the suspect and shared information with other police agencies.

He was arrested in Surrey just after 4 p.m. Monday by the Metro Vancouver Transit Police and turned over to Vancouver police.

Police say Ali remains in custody and has been charged with one count of arson in relation to inhabited property, and one count of possession of incendiary material.

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Police arrest man accused of lighting fires, placing devices in Vancouver college

The main campus of the college in south Vancouver remained closed on Tuesday.

Doucette told a news conference on Monday night that officers recovered “two or three” devices that had allegedly been deliberately placed, and several fires occurred, but an estimate on the damage was not available.

“There were actual fires throughout. Some devices did go off, some didn’t,” he said.

“The explosive disposal unit (has) gone through the school, they have located devices, examined them and destroyed them,” Doucette said.

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A note on the college’s website confirms police have completed a sweep of all campus buildings and have declared the college secure but classes were cancelled Tuesday and the daycare was also closed.

“We recognize that employees and students may have left behind important personal belongings and that some faculty may need to collect exam materials; information on the process to recover them will be provided (Tuesday) morning,” the college said.

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