Update: Suspect Arrested After Suspicious Fire

Jul 20, 2018 | 4:31 PM

Row of trees was charred in fire behind apartments in the 3600 block of 27th Avenue Friday morning (Pete McIntyre/Beach Radio photo)

Police have arrested a woman who is suspected of starting a fire in Vernon.

A woman was seen lighting a row of cedar hedges on fire behind some apartment buildings in the 3600 block of 27th Avenue this morning.

The flames were put out by Vernon Fire Rescue.

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Just over an hour later, a woman matching the earlier one’s description, was seen pouring a liquid on someone’s motor home, and trying to open the vehicles fuel cap, also on 27th Avenue in the 3800 block.

“Police made patrols for the suspect and located a woman matching the description provided about 5 blocks from the alleged arson incident. A 27-year-old Vernon woman was arrested and transported to the Vernon RCMP Detachment where she remains in custody. A report will be forwarded to the BC Prosecution Service for their assessment of criminal charges,” says an RCMP news release from Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau.

Police are continuing their investigation and asking anyone who may have witnessed these incidents to contact Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171.

Vernon Fire Rescue was quick to respond to a fire near a couple of apartment complexes this morning, a fire that is now considered suspicious.

It broke out in what looked to be some cedar hedge trees behind the Westmount apartments at 3611 27th Avenue around 8:20 am.

“They found about a 20 foot hedge heavily involved in fire. They were able to easily extinguish the fire,” says fire chief Dave Lind.

Residents were concerned of the fire spreading, but the crew put it out before that could happen.

The cause is under investigation but is being classified as suspicious by fire officials who have turned the investigation into the cause over to police.

“There had been some reports that someone was seen leaving the area, so there is an investigation underway, and it’s an investigation that’s with the RCMP,” Chief Lind tells Beach Radio News.

by Corey Fischer