HOULTON – The man accused of setting a fire early Wednesday morning that destroyed three businesses in downtown Houlton and left two people homeless made his initial appearance Thursday in 2nd District Court.

Mark R. Antworth, 39, of Houlton has been charged with arson, a Class A felony, for allegedly setting the fire that destroyed a 41/2-story building at 1 Market Square and an attached three-story building at 6 Kendall St.

A mattress store, a beauty shop and a taxi service were destroyed, as were three apartments, including two that were occupied.

When asked by Judge David Griffiths if he understood the charge against him, Antworth, dressed in a forest-green sweat shirt, pale green pants and blue sneakers, answered strongly, without hesitation, “Yes, I do, sir.”

At the conclusion of the session, which lasted about 10 minutes, Antworth said, “Thank you. Is that it?”

He was returned to the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton where he is being held without bail. A bail hearing has been set for Dec. 9.

Houlton firefighters remained at the fire scene overnight Wednesday and for much of the day Thursday, wetting down the debris blackened in the fire.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office also were at the fire scene Thursday digging through the soggy debris for more evidence. A specially trained dog was brought in to look for signs of flammable liquids. Several times the dog identified an area near the location of a rear basement door where officials think the fire was started.

A metal can that had contained camp fuel, and a blue Wal-Mart bag were found by police shortly after the fire was discovered Wednesday near the door. A receipt for the Houlton Wal-Mart store was in the bag, indicating the fuel had been purchased there Tuesday.

Officer Matthew Quint of the Houlton Police Department discovered the fire at about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday. At that time, he spoke to Antworth, whom he knew, and who was standing about 60 feet from the building.

When Quint asked Antworth if he saw the fire, Antworth replied, “What fire?” according to an affidavit on file at the 2nd District Court clerk’s office.

Quint went to assist with the evacuation of the building, at which time Antworth left.

According to the affidavit, police viewed security tapes at the local Wal-Mart and observed Antworth making a purchase.

Investigators interviewed Rebecca Donahue, who resided in one of the destroyed apartments. According to the affidavit, she said she heard a loud banging on her door early Wednesday morning. Through the door, she asked the person what he wanted, and a man said he was looking for an apartment.

The man then went down the hall, Donahue told investigators, and she told the man to get out. She followed him partway.

During her interview with investigators, she described a white male wearing a black and gray nylon jacket.

On Wednesday, police executed a search warrant at the boarding home at 8 Leonard St. in Houlton where Antworth lived and found a black and gray jacket matching the description of the one Antworth was seen wearing at Wal-Mart and identified by Donahue.

Town officials on Thursday were trying to figure out how best to clean up the fire debris, which includes asbestos siding and heating oil in tanks in the basements of the buildings. Donald Goodridge, who owns the buildings, doesn’t have insurance.

Town Manager Peggy Daigle said officials are trying to determine what the cleanup cost will be. She said the town would be seeking assistance from the state to help with the cost of the cleanup and also would be applying for grants that could be used to help defray those costs.

“We’re tapping into as many things as we can,” she said.