This is the alleged arsonist accused of starting a fire in Dungannon which left 12 people needing hospital treatment.
Miguel Caetanito was arrested by police at the scene of the fire in Cunningham’s Lane which destroyed a house last week.
On Thursday the 21-year-old from Canal Place, Coalisland, appeared in court charged with destroying the semi-detached house by fire with intent to endanger the lives of the occupants – two adults aged 70 and 37 and the two children.
The court was told Caetanito was heard allegedly saying, “I’m in a lot of trouble, I need to speak to a solicitor urgently.”
The victims included two children and eight PSNI officers, who were praised for their bravery in rescuing the family from the Dungannon property.
A detective sergeant told Strabane Magistrates Court the charge could be connected.
He explained police were notified by the NI Fire and Rescue Service of a house on fire with children aged seven and ten trapped inside.
Officers used ladders to rescue all the occupants.
The court was told the older child was spoken to in the ambulance and said: “The crazy man in the red jumper did it.”
Police noticed an intoxicated male wearing a red top standing on the roof of a building.
He was arrested and taken to hospital as a precaution, during which he remarked: “I came out of the fire,” the court heard.
A short time later, the court was told, he stated: “I’m in a lot of trouble. I need to speak to a solicitor urgently.”
The scene in the Cunninghams Lane area of Dungannon (Liam McBurney/PA)
When the child was stabilised she was spoken to again in hospital, explaining she had completed her homework and gone upstairs to her bedroom along with her younger sister.
She said the defendant had been in the house downstairs with her uncle and identified him as Caetanito.
Around 8.30pm she became very warm and on opening a window, immediately smelt smoke and realised there was a fire downstairs.
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The child ran to the door but it was forced open by the blaze and smoke filled the room.
During five interviews conducted over two days, Caetanito replied “no comment” to all questions.
Solicitor Ronan McCourt, representing Caetanito, challenged the evidential basis upon which police were relying to connect his client to the alleged offences.
He asked whether the fire could have been started accidentally.
But the sergeant was “satisfied the fire was started maliciously and examinations of the scene are continuing”.
The scene in the Cunninghams Lane area of Dungannon. Inset: The property on fire on Monday night.
There was no application for bail and District Judge Oonagh Mullan remanded Caetanito in custody to appear by video-link at Dungannon Magistrates Court on March 5.
Footage shared on social media showed the blaze spreading extensively through the property.
Police officers were commended for rescuing the occupants, having fought against the blaze before fire crews arrived. An elderly woman found unresponsive at the scene and a 37-year-old man were rushed to hospital critically ill, as were the children whose condition was later confirmed to be stable.
The elderly woman is now stable – however the male remains in intensive care.
The eight police officers were also taken to hospital, one of whom collapsed after bringing the family to safety.
Caetanito was detained at the scene and the following day a 15-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
He has since been released on bail.
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News Catch Up – Wednesday 12 February