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Concern grows over rash of suspicious fires

Two more suspicious fires early Monday morning brings the total to six in the past two months

Concern grows after two more abandoned buildings went up in flames early Monday morning.

That brings the number of suspicious fires in and around Guelph to six in the last two months. Officials are working on establishing connections, if any, between the fires.

The Guelph Fire Department responded to fire at an empty workshop at 604 Silvercreek Parkway N. at around 1:04 a.m. Monday, then to a fully-engulfed empty barn at 7070 Fife Rd. in Guelph-Eramosa Township at around 3:35 a.m.

Five of them were in abandoned or empty buildings, one was at a working sawmill in Belwood.

"We're very concerned about the rash of fires in abandoned buildings in and around Guelph," said Guelph Fire Chief John Osborne.

The Guelph Fire Department, Eramosa Fire Department , Puslinch Fire Department, Guelph Police, Wellington County OPP and the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office are all working together on the situation, Osborne said.

There were no injuries in any of the fires, but that doesn't lessen their danger, said Osborne.

"Every fire puts members of the public and first responders at risk," Osborne said. "Just responding to a fire puts people at risk."

"There's been no link other than they're all suspicious," said Wellington County OPP Const. Cheri Rockefeller.

"Everything is being followed up on and there is concern when they're not solved and some are suspicious," Rockefeller said.

"We're asking residents of Wellington County to call in if they see any suspicious activity, especially late at night or in the early morning hours and if you have abandoned structures on your property, keep an eye on them."

The six fires in question are:

- Dec. 5: A boarded up former woodworking shop located at 604 Silvercreek Parkway N. just north of Woodlawn Road:

- Dec. 5: A barn no longer in use at 7070 Fife Rd. roughly 1 km west of the city.

- Nov. 16: A fire at a lumber yard in Belleville.

- Oct. 28: An empty farm house on Arkell Road, 5 km outside Guelph.

- Oct. 19: Empty farmhouse on Third Line in Puslinch Township.

- Oct. 14: Empty farmhouse on Third Line in Puslinch Township.

Monday's fire on Silvercreek Parkway was at the former home of Bob Irwin Creativity In Wood. The workshop, and an adjacent house that did not catch fire, were boarded up after having been purchased by the Ministry of Transportation as part of the upcoming new Highway 7 work.

The fire on Fife Road was at a standalone sheet metal barn with a cement block base located in a field just off the road. That fire was reported by a neighbour who saw the flames.

All six fires remain under investigation by the Wellington County OPP Crime Unit, Guelph Police and the Ontario Fire Marshall are investigating the various fires.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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