Dozens of residents in a St. Thomas group home have been temporarily displaced after their sprinkler system was damaged.
St. Thomas police say officers were called to the north-end building around 10 a.m. Friday on a report of a fire alarm, accompanied by St. Thomas firefighters. The investigation revealed that the sprinkler mechanism was tampered with, causing it to go off on the second floor of the residence and cause extensive water damage.
St. Thomas staff Sergeant Steve Bogart said 46 people live in the building and are now dealing with finding temporary accommodations due to the water damage.
A 39-year-old man has been charged with mischief over $5,000, possession of a controlled substance and two counts of breach of probation. He was expected to appear in court Saturday.
