Fifth suspicious fire under investigation in Mount Forest
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating another suspicious fire in Mount Forest, bringing the total to five fires in five days.
According to OPP, it is still too early in the investigation to speculate whether or not any are connected.
The first fire happened on Sunday just before 3 a.m. and caused an estimated over $1 million in damages to Wellington Produce Packaging.
Firefighters remain at the aftermath of a fire in Mount Forest that caused over $1 million in damages. (Matt MacIntyre/Submitted)
The company issued a statement to CTV News via email on Monday, saying in part: "Wellington Produce Packaging would like to thank friends, family, neighbours, and community members, for all the support we have received over the past few days. Your care and concern have been greatly appreciated. We would also like to acknowledge the incredible work that was done to control the fire and contain it to not spread to neighbouring houses and other buildings and equipment on the WPP site.”
Less than 30 minutes later, firefighters responded to two fires at a home on Cork Street around 3:18 a.m.
Upon arrival, firefighters extinguished a vehicle and shed on fire.
“Firefighters were able to knock the fire down before it got into the house extensively. Everyone in the house got out safely, and there were no injuries to anyone involved,” Wellington North Fire said.
The fires charred a shed in the home’s backyard and heavily damaged a car on the driveway.
The remains of a vehicle after a fire on Sunday morning in Wellington North. (Matt McIntyre/Submitted)
Police are considering the two fires at the Cork Street home the same incident.
Around the same time, OPP said a yard waste bag was discovered on fire at a residence on Colcleugh Avenue.
The fire was extinguished by the homeowner without incident, OPP said.
“Anytime you have a fire you can’t explain, there is a bit of suspicion, but as they start to accumulate, it becomes more worrisome for not only investigators but firefighters and the public,” said OPP Const. Josh Cunningham.
“A fire can be very hazardous, obviously to a person, never mind emergency responders and bystanders that want to help and assist extinguish the blaze. It’s a very dangerous situation that can cost lives.”
Cunningham said it has not been determined if there is an arsonist or arsonist, but police are looking into see if that is a possibility.
He added that around this time of year, we have the added worry about the dry season.
On Wednesday, around 5 p.m., Wellington County OPP and the Wellington North Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle on fire in a field off of Sligo Road East.
In an email to CTV News on Thursday, OPP said the vehicle fire is considered suspicious.
Chris Harrow, director of fire services for Mount Forest and the Minto fire department said the firefighters did a tremendous job that day.
He said with the lone water tower in the town dry and out of service since May 17 for maintenance, crews had to switch tactics such as working without working fire hydrants to rely on to fight the flames.
Harrow said they effectively just take rural firefighting and take it into the urban areas so we had to truck water into the scene.
“We train as much for rural firefighting as we do urban firefighting so there’s no jeopardy of safety or anything like that,” he said.
No injuries were reported in any of the fires.
Meanwhile, Cunningham stressed that any video footage from the public would be helpful.
"We're trying to reach out to the public, looking for surveillance [footage], and it doesn't even have to be in the immediate area where these fires occurred," Cunningham said. "If it's anywhere in Mount Forest where someone might see or capture something on surveillance that might help investigators identify someone."
He noted particularly anyone with footage around 3 a.m. when the fires occurred.
Several areas are under a fire ban due to dry conditions. A full list of fire bans in and around Waterloo region can be found by clicking here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.