Friday, June 19, 2015

Kootenay Avenue latest location related to ongoing vehicle arsons

Note: updated information can be found below.

Quick work from the Prince Rupert RCMP and Prince Rupert Fire Rescue delivered a rapid response to an incident on the city's west side that will clearly be of concern to local residents.

Reports spread quickly this morning through a number of social media accounts, with local residents highlighting the work of both the RCMP and Prince Rupert Fire to knock down a vehicle fire underneath an apartment building on Kootenay Avenue.

The timing of the early morning fire, owing to its setting in a residential apartment area could have provided for potentially deadly implications without the quick response to the incident.

An apartment complex on
Kootenay Avenue is the latest
scene of a car fire in the city

Radio Station CFNR has posted a photo of the fire department tackling the blaze which took place in the underneath parking spaces below the apartment building on Kootenay, the station also received confirmation from the Prince Rupert detachment that the fire is under investigate, now listed as the fifth vehicle fire to take place in the city over the last seven days.

As we noted earlier this week, the RCMP is currently investigating three fires on the east side of the city which took place over Seafest Weekend, all of which were deliberately set.

The RCMP is expected to issue further information related to the early morning incident later today, as more background becomes available we will provide the details below.

Update: 2:35 PM, Friday June 19, 2015

In a Friday afternoon  media release, the RCMP outlined more background on the incident, identifying the apartment complex as the Four Winds Apartments, the first call for assistance was received and responded to at 4:50 in the morning.

An initial attempt to put out the fire proved unsuccessful, at which point the the Prince Rupert Fire Rescue Department was called and the process of evacuating the Four Winds Apartments began.

“At this stage of the investigation this fire is being treated as suspicious ... Fortunately no one was injured as a result of this fire. We are actively pursuing leads, and are turning to the community for any information that may assist in furthering the investigation. While we understand that in recent weeks there has been a number of vehicle fires in the area it is far too early to speculate if these fires were caused by the same individual(s), however they do appear to share similarities.” -- Constable Matt Ericson, Prince Rupert RCMP on an early morning fire at the Four Winds apartments.

The Prince Rupert detachment continues to investigate the early morning fire and if anyone has information to offer regarding it, they are asked to contact the local detachment at 250-627-0700 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

As well police are asking the public to remain vigilant to events in their neighbourhoods and to contact the RCMP at 9-1-1 should they see any suspicious activity.

The full media statement can be reviewed here.

For more items related to Emergency Response incidents in the Northwest see our archive page here.


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