A Whitehorse man has been charged with arson following a residential fire on Elm Street in Porter Creek on Saturday evening.

Daniel Guy Lachance, 35, was arrested and charged with recklessly causing damage by fire. He remains in jail pending a court appearance Tuesday.

Whitehorse fire chief Clive Sparks estimates some $50,000 in damage was caused.

'It was pretty well destroyed, that one side,' Sparks explained this morning. 'It was not burnt, but there was a lot of smoke and heat damage.'

The chief said firefighters received the call at 6:37 p.m. from the occupants of the other side, which did not receive any damage.

The 10 firefighters who responded were off the scene just over an hour later, at 7:50 p.m.

Sparks said because the RCMP have been called in, he cannot discuss details surrounding the cause of the fire.

The duplex is privately owned, but was being rented, Sparks said.

He's not sure if anyone was home on the burned-out side at the time of the fire.