A cafe owner has appeared in court accused of setting fire to his own business in Winchester.
Philip Simmonds, 57, of Farm House Close in Fareham, has been charged with arson reckless as to whether life was endangered over the blaze at Cafe Monde in Winchester on Monday.
Fire tore through the historic building in The Square in Winchester, with more than 50 firefighters called to tackle the blaze at 6am.
Simmonds, who appeared in the dock with a bandage around his right arm above the elbow, wore a grey shirt and spoke only to confirm his name and address. He did not enter a plea.
Jade Philippou, prosecuting, said Simmonds owns the property and the fire service found him inside.
Magistrate Ian Hobin remanded Simmonds, who was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, in custody to next appear at Southampton Crown Court on August 3.
Ten fire engines and specialist resources attended the blaze, with the surrounding area being cordoned off during the incident.
Although the cordon has since been lifted, the building is visibly damaged, including the roof.
Four city centre properties have been affected by the fire, which began at the cafe before spreading to neighbouring businesses, including Rodd & Gunn, Loake and The Square cafe.
Speaking before Simmonds was charged, a police spokesperson said: “Following initial enquiries, the fire is being treated as arson.
“A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation injuries.
“He has since left hospital and is currently in police custody.”
Police officers remained at the scene on Tuesday. A cordon was in place blocking pedestrian access from High Street and vehicle access from Market Street.
The fire was reported shortly after 6am. Firefighters used four main jets, two hose reels and two aerial ladder platforms to bring the fire under control.
A stop message was issued at 11am, but crews remained on site throughout the day to monitor for hotspots and complete damping down.
A final inspection was carried out just before 5pm, with no further signs of heat or smoke.
The fire has caused wide shock and disruption, with many nearby businesses in The Square forced to close.
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