A car was set on fire outside the Student Union Building at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
The fire destroyed the vehicle and damaged property in the Cellar Pub’s loading bay.
Patrick Hanson, the pub’s operations manager and owner of the vehicle, said he was working when the fire started.
“I was here to oversee the [Welcome Back: Music Fest] concert and a busy Saturday night at the pub. I went outside for a cigarette and saw the fire,” Hanson said.
He went back inside to dial 911 before he grabbed a fire extinguisher and attempted to put it out.
Hanson said the blaze was so strong he had to run back into the building to grab a second extinguisher. By the time he got back, the car was destroyed.
“[The extinguishers] were no match for the fire.”
UNB security and Fredericton police responded to the incident.
“Following initial investigation, we arrested an adult male in connection with the incident,” said Alycia Bartlett, Fredericton police spokesperson, in an email.
Arson charges are pending. The man is scheduled to appear in court in November.
UNB security declined comment, stating the incident is part of an active, ongoing police investigation.
