A man charged with arson in connection with a major fire in Longford Town is to appear in court again this morning.
Guo Zhong Chen of 9 Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar, was arrested on August 8 at his home, where it's alleged he attempted to evade arrest by jumping from a 5-metre high balcony in his underwear.
The damage caused to the Grafton Court area of Longford Town following the fire last month has been estimated at over €3 million.
The fire spread from its initial ignition point beside Oyama Sushi restaurant to the roof of the building before travelling down the street causing severe damage.
A total of 13 businesses remain closed and Longford County Council has spent over €50,000 to secure the site over the last two weeks.
Mr Chen appeared before Judge Deirdre Geraghty on Friday evening where he was denied bail and remanded in custody.
Gardaí had stated their strong objections to any bail, citing their concerns that the accused was a flight risk and would leave the jurisdiction.
Guo Zhong Chen will appear in Mullingar District Court this morning via video link.
