AUGUSTA — A man charged with assaulting his girlfriend just prior to a Saturday fire that damaged a Randolph apartment building remained in jail Monday after making an initial court appearance.

Andrew J. St. Amand, 33, of Randolph is charged with domestic violence assault.

Justice Robert Murray set St. Amand’s bail at $1,000 cash, with conditions that he have no contact with the alleged victim of the assault or with another woman who was at the fire scene at 23 Windsor St., Randolph.

The fire was determined to be arson. A secondary fire, believed to have started at 4 a.m. Sunday by embers, destroyed the building.

A court affidavit by State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator Edward H. Hastings IV said the couple had been arguing all day.

St. Amand was described as intoxicated and suffering from a cut on his left arm, and bystanders said efforts to calm the couple failed.

Hastings said St. Amand was observed at the scene yelling at his girlfriend, who was being taken to McDonald’s by an acquaintance: “I’ll have this place burned before you get back.”

Shortly afterward, smoke was seen from the building St. Amand occupied. St. Amand escaped by climbing out a second-floor window and down a tree, Hastings wrote.

St. Amand — accompanied by his girlfriend — was taken by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for treatment and then brought to Androscoggin County jail.

Neither St. Amand nor his girlfriend cooperated with investigators, Hastings wrote.

St. Amand was later transferred to the Kennebec County jail.

“We’re still investigating the fire as an arson, and no one has been arrested in connection with the fire yet,” Sgt. Kenneth Grimes of the fire marshal’s office said Monday.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com