Skip to content

Suspicious fires spark near Skaha Middle School

Multiple fires were reported around midnight on Sept. 26
26658212_web1_201125-PWN-FireCarmi_1
Penticton Fire Department.

Multiple suspicious fires were started shortly before midnight on Sunday, Sept. 26 near Skaha Middle School.

The fires were started in hedges and along fencing, according to Penticton deputy fire chief Rob Trupp. Although the fires were close to nearby structures, no building was damaged by the fires.

The dispatch list for the regional district lists calls shortly before midnight at Green Avenue and Green Court and at South Main Street and Parmley Place.

There is no evidence that firmly proves the fires were intentionally set, however they are considered suspicious by the fire department.

The fires were started at roughly the same time and in the same area, but Trupp said that it would be difficult to determine if they were connected.

Penticton has experienced a series of dumpster and suspicious fires in the Skaha area as well as downtown in late spring and into summer.

Someone smashed in the windows of the Scotiabank at 407 Main Street, and then apparently lit the back alley alcove on fire, forcing the bank to shut down for the day.

The Penticton Fire Department extinguished three suspicious fires behind Main Street businesses on Aug. 14.

At noon, crews received calls of multiple bins on fire behind the Vitamin King Supplement store. Two recycling bins were torched but were quickly knocked down.

Nearby, behind the Royal Bank, firefighters extinguished cardboard on fire. According to Penticton fire captain Holmes, another cardboard box was lit on fire underneath a gas meter behind Carloni Mortgages, but that fire was put out by people passing by.

READ MORE: RCMP investigate multiple fires behind downtown businesses

READ ALSO: Fire near Penticton sign has been contained

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

<>


@PentictonNews
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
Read more