Steve Arstad
Black Press Staff
Two recreational vehicles were destroyed and several others damaged in suspicious Boxing Day fires at the Ambry storage yard in Keremeos.
Officials say a flat deck trailer and at least eight other recreational vehicles were also damaged by fire or graffiti.
Fourteen members of the Keremeos and District Volunteer Fire Department responded to the early-morning fire this month at the Veterans Avenue business at 1:30 a.m.
When firefighters arrived they found a fifth wheel trailer and a motorhome engulfed in flames.
Arson is strongly suspected according to Fire Chief Jordy Bosscha who pointed to evidence he felt suggested deliberate human involvement.
“Tracks in the snow and graffiti are visible at each unit, as well as signs indicating where attempts were made to light (ignite) the trailers,” he said. “There were also tracks to another unit with evidence indicating an attempt to set it on fire as well.”
The flat deck trailer located near the burned out vehicles suffered heat damage.
Bosccha is confident arson is the cause of the fires and has since turned the matter over to Keremeos RCMP.
Fire personnel spent about 90 minutes at the scene. The incident was also attended by the Keremeos RCMP and BC Ambulance Service.
This was the third fire the volunteer department has responded to in the last month. The others included one at a residence on Ferko Road in Cawston Dec. 9 and the other at a manufactured home on Beecroft Road in Cawston, Dec. 19.
Neither of those are believed to be suspicious.