Investigator Testifies Donald Street Fire Was Intentional in Murder Trial
A fire investigator testified in court that the devastating blaze at 1244 Donald Street in Ottawa on May 2, 2024, was intentionally set with gasoline, resulting in the tragic death of a three-year-old girl and severe injuries to her mother and five-year-old sister. The testimony came during the first-degree murder trial of Saeed Mohamed, who has pleaded not guilty in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Hallway Devastation and Investigative Findings
Stephane Dubuc, a fire investigator for Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal, described the third-floor hallway of the high-rise apartment building as almost unrecognizable after the fire. Photos from the scene showed blackened walls, melted carpentry, and soot-stained ceiling panels throughout the hallway. Dubuc noted that smoke had entered an apartment unit through a thin crack above the door, staining the walls with soot.
Dubuc, who investigated the incident for two days, concluded in his report that the fire was set intentionally. He emphasized that gasoline was brought into the building, stating, "I inspected this building. I didn't find gasoline on the other floors. I didn't find gasoline being stored inside the building. The question is: How was gasoline brought to the third floor of this high-rise building?" He told the 13 jurors that the fire was so intense that smoke blanketed the area while it burned, staying low to the floor based on observations and interviews with responding firefighters.
Crown's Case and Trial Proceedings
The trial of Saeed Mohamed, 43, reached its fourth week with the Crown calling its last three witnesses. Assistant Crown attorney Ernesto Caceres outlined the Crown's case earlier in April, describing how a man entered the building around 6 a.m. on May 2, 2024, wearing a high-visibility vest, a black puffer jacket, black nylon gloves, and a black mask while carrying a jerry can of gasoline in a bright green bag.
Caceres detailed that the man took the elevator to the third floor, poured a 28-foot line of gasoline down the hallway, and set it on fire before fleeing down a stairwell. Once outside, the man crossed an open area, entered another building at 1240 Donald Street, and exited through a side door, peeling off the high-visibility vest and black gloves and discarding them outside.
Investigator's Role and Public Safety Focus
Dubuc highlighted that his role was not to determine criminality or identify the perpetrator but to provide information to the court, the public, and community stakeholders—including firefighters and police officers—for public safety purposes. Throughout the trial, Mohamed sat quietly in an enclosed box in the courtroom, observing the proceedings and only standing to receive exhibits from his lawyers, Paolo Giancaterino and Biago Del Greco.
The fire at 1244 Donald Street has left a lasting impact on the community, with the investigation revealing the deliberate nature of the act. As the trial continues, the focus remains on seeking justice for the victims and understanding the circumstances that led to this tragic event.
