A 13-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter after a man died following a fire at a Central Coast shopping centre in October.
Up to 50 firefighters battled the blaze at The Entrance’s Ebbtide shopping centre after a 69-year-old man made a desperate phone call to 000.
He was dragged from the building by emergency services, but could not be revived and died at the scene.
On Monday morning, officers from the Arson Squad arrested the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and charged him with manslaughter.
“The boy has been refused bail and is attending the children’s court at Woy Woy,” Detective Chief Inspector Richard Puffett said on Monday.
“We are alleging the fire was deliberate.”
A piece of furniture was used to start the fire in the shop, he said.
“It’s timely to discuss the dangers of even a small fire being lit. The consequences can be tragic”.
The alleged victim’s family are “concerned” about the involvement of a youth, he said, but were “given some comfort” by the arrest.