Kin Track Grandstand Fire 'Suspicious'

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Thursday, 10 July 2014 10:59

The fire that destroyed the grandstand at Kin Race Track in Vernon is being treated as suspicious. Deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says they haven't been able to get into the building because it's unstable, but he says fires are always viewed as suspicious until they can prove otherwise. "We have had some past issues with power here and we're trying to eliminate and work through that and come up with what we can find in the debris," Skolrood told the media. Remains of Kin Track grandstands (Kiss FM)There's been around 20 suspicious fires in the Vernon area the last two months. "We don't want to jump to assumptions and go that way. We want to have the real answers for you and that's why were taking it slow right now so that we get it right," says the deputy chief. Skolrood says the structure was fully involved when fire crews arrived. "They were unable to see the structure itself for flames, so the fire was pretty sensational."RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says officers responded to the fire at around 11:30 Wednesday night. "Right now we are waiting to make the area safe so they can go conduct their investigation, so there is a bit of a delay." Molendyk says police are asking anyone with pictures or video of the fire to send them to the RCMP (Phone:250 545 7171). "We would really like to get to the bottom of this fire," says Molendyk. Molendyk says they have to treat the fire as suspicious. "We are also well aware of the (media) articles that have been written about the complex the last week, so all of those will tie into the investigation, for sure." Molendyk says it's possible the fire is connected to the 20 other recent arson cases around the area. "Sometimes in the past, individuals who are starting small fires escalate to bigger and bigger for sure."Ed Woolley from the Okanagan Equestrian Society, which runs the horse racing, says the structure was insured. "I anticipate we will meet next week and we will hopefully have a plan of attack. Right now, we will just be confirming the details of insurance and getting that in process," says Woolley. The fire came on the same day of media reports that this summer's four day horse racing program had been cancelled due to the society not being able to pay for electrical repairs required for the grandstand.
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Also see http://infotel.ca/newsitem/kin-race-track-fire-considered-suspicious/it11435