ABC
Man pleads not guilty to starting King Island fire
A 20-year-old Tasmanian man has pleaded not guilty to deliberately lighting a fire that destroyed King Island's only pharmacy.
Brady Oates appeared briefly in the Magistrates Court in Burnie this afternoon.
The King Island man is charged with burglary, stealing and arson.
In January, a fire destroyed a building in Currie, the island's main town, which housed a newsagency, tourism business and pharmacy.
The damage bill for the blaze was estimated to be more than $1 million.
A temporary pharmacy had to be set up to service the Island's 1,800 residents.
Oates entered a not guilty plea today through his defence lawyer Greg Richardson.
He was granted bail and will appear in the Supreme Court in April.
