Vernon posted Jan 6, 2025 @ 12:20pm by Josh Duncan

Fire in covered car park at Vernon apartment building deemed suspicious

Mounties in Vernon are probing a fire that started in the covered car park at an apartment building early Friday morning.

“At this time, the fire is being considered suspicious,” said Cpl. Tania Finn. “Frontline officers canvassed the area for any video surveillance and we continue to investigate the incident.”

Vernon Fire Rescue Service crews were dispatched to the blaze around 7 am Friday, arriving in the 3600 block of 30th Avenue to find two vehicles fully engulfed in flames.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the vehicle fires before turning their attention to the extension of the blaze into the neighbouring residential building.

According to a City of Vernon release, the fire spread to three suites and caused “extensive fire, smoke and water damage,” but no injuries were reported.

<who>Photo Credit: City of Vernon

The building was fully evacuated as a precaution and firefighters conducted a thorough sweep to find two residents that were unaccounted for and escort them out to safety.

Anyone with information that could aid the police investigation into this suspicious fire is asked to contact the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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