About 2.30pm Tasmania Police, Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Ambulance Service attended a report of a house on fire in James Street, Ulverstone.  Upon arrival at the scene the house was well alight and was controlled and extinguished by Tasmania Fire Service.  It was quickly established that the house was vacant.

Due to the circumstances, the fire was determined to be suspicious and police commenced an investigation into the cause.

As a result of the investigation, in the early afternoon, police arrested and charged a 33 year old Ulverstone man with common assault and arson.  The man was detained and will appear at a special sitting of the Devonport Court of Petty Sessions this evening at 8.45pm (Wednesday 18 July 2012).

No one was injured as a result of the fire.  The damage to the residence is likely to constitute a total loss.

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