Mayerthorpe junior firefighter charged with 18 counts of arson

EDMONTON –  Mayerthorpe, Alta. RCMP have arrested and charged one person in relation to a recent rash of fires in the area, including the blaze which destroyed a CN trestle bridge.

READ MORE: Massive Mayerthorpe trestle bridge fire being investigated as arson

Lawson Michael Schalm, 19, of Mayerthorpe, faces 18 counts of arson.

Global News has learned Schalm is the son of former Mayerthorpe mayor Albert Schalm.

The town, which is located 120 kilometres north of Edmonton, saw the local fire department called for 17 fires in the area over a period of just six days. Then on Friday, five more suspicious fires were set.

READ MORE: RCMP investigate new string of suspicious fires in Mayerthorpe

Sources tell Global News Schalm is also a junior firefighter with the Mayerthorpe Fire Department and was standing alongside firefighters battling the trestle bridge blaze.

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The source adds firefighters in Mayerthorpe are stunned by the news.

READ MORE: Citizen patrol group launched after string of suspicious fires in Mayerthorpe 

An October 2012 editon of The Mayerthorpe Freelancer lists Schalm, among others, as a firefighter in Mayerthorpe.

Schalm has been arrested and will remain in custody until he makes his first court appearance on May 4 in Stony Plain Provincial Court.

RCMP said they aren’t looking at any other suspects in the Mayerthorpe arsons.

They added additional charges against Schlam are possible but would not elaborate on what those charges could be.

With files from Julia Wong, Global News