Another Suspicious Fire In Vernon

Written by Glen Morrison 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 22 July 2014 06:00
Suspicious fire number 22 happened overnight as Vernon Crews battled a big blaze in fruit shipping containers on Middleton Mountain. It was at the Growers Supply plant in the 12 hundred block of Waddington Drive. The call came in about 11:30 last night and at it's peak flames were over 30 meters into the sky. Fire chief Keith Green says it's definitely suspicious. He says "I would have to say given the time frame and the fact it was in a locked compound and we're dealing with peoples property thats in a locked compound that started in the back corner, I'd say it's certainly suspicious." Green says up to a thousand of the big bins were destroyed a loss of near 100 thousand dollars, along with a part of the fence that had to be knocked down to get an excavator in to pull the pile apart.
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Authorities investigate another suspicious fire, this time at Middleton Mountain
By Charlotte Helston Info-Tel Multimedia July 22, 2014 - 8:17 AM
VERNON - Another suspicious fire in Vernon, this time in fruit shipping containers, has investigators combing through the rubble. The Vernon Fire Department was called out to the 1200 block of Waddington Drive on Middleton Mountain Monday about 11:30 p.m. Tall flames and smoke could be seen from other parts of the city. Numerous wooden apple bins stored inside a fenced compound were destroyed in the fire. Deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says it appears the bins were deliberately set on fire, either through the chain link fence, or by someone who climbed over it. It is the 22nd suspicious fire in Vernon, joining the Kin Race Track grandstands, boats, vehicles and other items as targets. Skolrood says the time and nature is consistent with the previous fires. “I would say this is very similar to all the ones that have happened to this point,” Skolrood says. There was a lull between this suspicious fire and the last, which was two weeks ago at Kin Race Track. “It definitely seems like they (suspected arsonist or arsonists) are still around,” Skolrood says. Numerous people watching the fire have already been approached by investigators, but authorities are also asking anyone who might know something about the incident to call the Vernon Fire Rescue non-emergency line at 250-550-3565 or the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).