A gas can led police to the man accused of setting fire to the entrance and lobby of the state department health, according to authorities.
John Denis appeared in District Court on Tuesday morning. Police charged him with criminal property damage in the first degree.
Denis started the blaze that caused about $12,000 of damage to the state Department of Health building on the corner of Punchbowl and Beretania streets on Jan. 31, police said.
No one was injured in the fire.
Police said they traced a gas can found at the crime scene to Sears. They said it was bought the same day as the fire.
The staff from a homeless shelter Denis was living at recognized him from Sears' surveillance video released to the media. The staff then contacted police.
When detectives first approached Denis and mentioned the Department Of Health Denis said, "I burned it. So what?" according to court records.
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