Powell River RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire that ravaged the lower floor of a building on Ash Avenue in Townsite on the night of Saturday, January 7.
The building, built as Powell River Company’s Powell Stores and later home at various times to Overwaitea grocery store, nightclub The Cellar and other businesses, has been vacant for years. At 11 pm on Saturday, RCMP along with Powell River Fire Rescue were called to a structural fire on the lower level of the building. Firefighters extinguished the fire but not before flames and smoke caused substantial damage to the building.
Fire Chief Dan Ouellette said the quick response of the firefighters is the only thing that prevented the entire building from going up. While the fire remained in the lower corner, the smoke that filled the structure prevented firefighters from entering deeper into the building. Firefighters ended up removing a skylight to let smoke out, which enabled them to enter the building and put out remaining spot fires over the better part of the night.
Police said the fire is the fourth suspicious blaze in as many months. In September 2011 a small shed burned down next to a business on the 7000 block of Duncan Street. In October a fire gutted a vacant building owned by School District 47 on the former site of Max Cameron Secondary School on Joyce Avenue. In November the old clubhouse on the former golf course in Townsite went up in flames.
RCMP Constable Chris Bakker said there is no evidence that links the four fires but they are all still currently under investigation.
“At this time the police are investing considerable resources into determining who started these fires,” said Bakker. “We will continue to do so until we find the person or people who are responsible for each of these fires.”
RCMP ask anyone with information on any of the fires to call Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255 or CrimeStoppers at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS).
