Man charged in connection to fatal townhouse fire in Winnipeg

Winnipeg police say a 27-year-old man has been charged in connection to a homicide and several arson incidents on June 26.

WPS says officers responded to a report that a 30-year-old woman, who was later identified as Nirmaljeet Kaur, and a 29-year-old man had been seriously injured in a fire at a townhouse along Keewatin Avenue.

Kaur and the man were reportedly asleep when their suite became engulfed after a couch was set on fire against the building.

Both were taken to a hospital in critical condition. The man was upgraded to stable, however, Kaur died from her injuries a couple of days later.

Through an investigation, police learned that the man who set the couch on fire had also set three garbage bins on fire in the area.

Police also learned around half an hour before the townhouse fire, a man in his 30s was confronted at a gas station near Keewatin Street, by a man who was later linked to the fires. During the confrontation, he reportedly demanded cigarettes, before punching the man in his 30s.

Later that day, around 10:45 p.m., police were able to locate the man believed to be linked to all the incidents above while responding to an unrelated matter along William Avenue.

Since, 27-year-old Izak Sararas was charged with two counts of arson with disregard for human life, four counts of causing damage to property, and robbery.

On July 2, police added a charge of manslaughter, after Kaur’s death.