New London — The man charged in connection with a tire-slashing spree in New London last month now faces a criminal trespass charge linked to a fire at the vacant Crystal Avenue apartment complex.

Police arrested Jason Castro-Campus, 39, at the scene of the Thursday morning blaze, which the fire marshal's office has determined was intentionally set. The fire occurred on the third floor of Building A of the former Thames River Apartments at 48 Crystal Ave.

The fire, Mayor Michael Passero said, has accelerated plans to go to the City Council and request needed funds to complete the demolition of the high-rises.

Fire Marshal Vernon Skau said the fire occurred in a third-floor apartment bathtub and in a stairwell near the apartment. The reason the fire was set is unclear and part of an ongoing investigation. City officials have voiced concern in the past that break-ins by vandals or homeless could be an issue until the buildings are demolished.

Castro-Campus has a last known address at the New London Homeless Hospitality Center. He was held in lieu of a $5,000 bond on the arrest and still faces 39 counts of third-degree criminal mischief in connection with the tire slashings in the area of Brainard and Mercer streets. He was not charged with setting the fire.

Firefighters had responded to Thursday's fire amid thick fog at 7:28 a.m. and found Castro-Campus in the building. He was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Waterford, Poquonnock Bridge and the Naval Submarine Base fire departments provided mutual aid, along with ambulances from Waterford and Groton.

New London fire Chief Thomas Curcio said firefighters searched the entire complex to ensure no one was still inside before the building where the fire occurred was sealed up.

The buildings, formerly a 124-unit federally subsidized apartment complex for low-income families, has been vacant since 2018. The city purchased the building from the New London Housing Authority in 2018 not long after a cooperative effort obtained federal housing vouchers and moved families into private housing.

The exodus from the property was prompted by repeated complaints over deferred maintenance and horrible living conditions. A lawsuit from residents also forced the housing authority to take action.

Passero said the first phase of demolition — the removal of hazardous materials — already is completed and the buildings could come down as early as this month.

The council in June approved the choice of Stamford Wrecking Company for the remediation and demolition of the buildings. The estimates for the work were $3.5 million, which was completely covered with state funds. Passero said costs for transportation and removal of the tons of demolition material to an appropriate dumping site have drastically increased since the early cost estimates.

"The cost of transportation and disposal of the demolition materials has skyrocket(ed) from the original quote of $87 per ton to $130.00 per ton," Passero said in a memo to the City Council.

He plans to bring a request for an additional $708,090 to the City Council for approval on Monday. The cost is not covered by state funds.

"I don't want to wait. The real pressing issue since we closed those buildings is the possibility of vandals and homeless getting into the building, starting fires and risking their own lives or lives of first responders," Passero said.

What the future holds for the site is unclear but the city changed the zoning designation from high-density residential to commercial and industrial, something Passero said is more fitting for the industrial area where it is located.

Day Staff Writer Taylor Hartz contributed to this report.

g.smith@theday.com