Calgary police say a elderly man who was critically injured in a fire at a seniors’ centre last month has died, prompting a homicide investigation.
The fire at Wentworth Manor in the community of Christie Park started just before 1:30 a.m. on Monday, April 27.
At the time, the Calgary Fire Department said the blaze appeared to have started inside a closet in the retirement facility’s dementia wing.
Police said a man in his 80s was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition, but died in hospital on Wednesday as a result of his injuries.
Due to the suspicious nature of the fire, police said it was being investigated as arson.
Just a few hours later, officials with the Calgary Police Service announced a man in his 70s who lived at the seniors’ facility had been charged with arson.
On Friday, police said because the victim had passed away, additional charges “may be pending” dependant upon the homicide investigation.
“The suspect suffers from a mental health condition and the man’s identity is not being released,” police explained.