A 40-year-old St. Thomas man has been charged in relation to the tampering of a group home's sprinkler system that left nearly 50 people scrambling to find new places to live.
Emergency crews were called to the group home on St. George St. in St. Thomas around 10 a.m. on Friday after the sprinkler system was triggered on the second floor of the residence. Investigators determined the sprinkler mechanism had been tampered with, causing it to activate.
The incident caused severe water damage and displaced 46 residents of the assisted living facility. Local agencies have been working tirelessly to find temporary accommodations for those affected, said St. Thomas police.
Gordon Burton of St. Thomas is charged with one count mischief over $5000, one count of drug possession, and two counts of breaching probation. He was scheduled to make a court appearance in connection with the charges on Saturday.