OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Two men have been arrested in relation to a string of recent fires.

On March 17, police found Thomas Tanner, 22, and Michael Gagne, 19, staying illegally in the basement of the Normandie Motor Inn, said Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Dana Kelley at a press conference at the Old Orchard Beach police station Monday morning. The two were arrested and charged with criminal trespass, and were later charged with arson in relation to several fires that occurred recently in town.

The fires include a string of eight fires on Feb. 28, which included one at the Beach Street Cafe at 75 West Grand Ave. and one at a nearby cottage.

Fires have all been in the West Grand Avenue area, from the Union Avenue area to downtown, and there have been trash can fires as well as fires in the dune grass area, said police Detective David Hemingway.

Officials have not yet determined the total number of fires, and are still investigating the matter, but Hemingway said there have been “upwards of 13” fires. No one was injured in any of the fires.

Tanner is a resident of Old Orchard Beach, and Gagne is a Hollis resident who has lived “in and out” of Old Orchard Beach, said Hemingway.

Ken Lafayette, owner of the Beach Street Cafe, said there was about $40,000 in damage to the seasonal café and a nearby beach cottage. He said a wall and some windows needed to be replaced in the cottage, and in the café, a large plate window was broken, seating was burned and there was water damage. Lafayette praised the local fire and police departments for their work.

“I’m very, very excited they were caught,” he said of the men charged with the arson.

Gagne and Tanner are being held at York County jail at $30,000 bail each, said Kelley.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or [email protected].