Woman charged with several downtown arsons in a month

Ottawa police allege a 41-year-old Ottawa woman set severalfires around the Lowertown and Sandy Hill areas in the last month, leading to at least 25 charges.

In a Monday news release, they say the fires ranged roughly from St. Andrew Street south to Stewart Street and from Charlotte Street west to Cumberland Street in central Ottawa.

Police didn't mention any injuries or get into the extent of the damage.

Most of the charges haveto do with fires: 10counts of possessing incendiary materials, 10 counts of arson damaging property andthree counts of arson with disregard for human life which covers either a fire or explosion that injures someone, one set knowing a property is occupied or one set disregarding whether a property could be occupied.

The accused is also facingtwo counts of possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000.

The arson unit has been investigating and police said it expects to lay more charges.

The woman was arrested Thursday andheld in custody, police said.