Photo: Martin Gyurcsek

UPDATE 6:28 a.m.

Kelowna RCMP tell Castanet they have three youths in custody after a suspicious fire was set at the Rutland Community Centre early this morning.

Const. Lesley Smith says "at 10:51 p.m., Kelowna RCMP and the Kelowna Fire Department were called to a structure fire at the Rutland Community Centre located at 765 Dodd Rd."

Smith says patrolling officers and numerous witnesses heard an explosion coming from the direction of Dodd Road and then saw flames at the rear of the Community Centre.

Fast-acting officers quickly surrounded the area and canvassed witnesses. It quickly became clear that five or six youths were seen fleeing after the loud bang. Shortly after that flames could be seen rising from the back of the building and into the roof.

Thanks to the quick response of fire crews and police the fire was snuffed before it could take hold, preventing any further damages to the rest of the centre.

“Police were able to view video surveillance footage at the scene which assisted with the police investigation and the identification of the suspects involved” states Smith.

Police have three young persons in custody.  One of those youth could be facing a charge of arson.

The investigation is still ongoing.

ORIGINAL 5:35 a.m.

Kelowna fire crew busy again overnight, responding to a blaze that broke out just before 11 p.m. on the 700 block of Dodd Road.

Crews arrived to find the rear of Kelowna Seniors Activity Centre on fire. The fire was on the exterior of the building and extending into the roof structure.

Scott Clarke, Kelowna Fire Platoon Captain, tells Castanet,"crews attacked the fire from the exterior and the interior of the building and were able to limit the damage to the structure, however part of the roof did sustain structural damage."

Fortunately, there was no one in the building at the time of the blaze.

Four engines, one ladder truck, a safety officer and a command unit including 20 fire personnel responded to this fire.

The cause of the blaze is being investigated by RCMP and the Kelowna Fire Department.