Kamloops Mounties release images after series of suspicious weekend fires

Photo: RCMP

Police have released images related to a couple of suspicious fires sparked over the weekend in hopes that someone with more information will come forward.

After a series of suspicious fires were sparked over the weekend, Kamloops Mounties have released a number of images in the hopes that someone will come forward with more information about the incidents.

In a news release, Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said police were called to five fires in a span of about 48 hours.

The first fire in this series took place at about 1 a.m. on Saturday at a residence in the 800-block of Valhalla Drive.

“At that time, police received multiple reports of an explosion caused by what appeared to be a molotov cocktail thrown at a building,” Evelyn said in a statement.

“A man associated to a pickup truck was observed in the area.”

A second fire was reported shortly afterwards at 2 a.m. in Valleyview. Kamloops Fire Rescue notified police about a small fire which had started outside an electrical room at a motel in the 1800-block of the East Trans-Canada Highway.

The fire appeared to be intentionally lit.

At about 3:10 a.m., police received reports of cedar hedges on fire in the 2000-block of East Trans-Canada Highway. No damage was done to a nearby building.

A few hours later, just before 7 a.m., officers from the Tk’emlups Rural RCMP Detachment were called to the 400-block of Chilcotin Road where a fire had damaged the rear of a building.

Three vehicles outside the building appeared to have been vandalized.

The latest fire in the spree took place on Monday at about 1:20 a.m. First responders arrived at a residential complex in the 400-block of St. Paul Street where a loud boom was reportedly heard, followed by flames on the east side of the building. No one was injured in the fire, which was extinguished after quick work from Kamloops Fire Rescue crews.

Evelyn said a jerry can was located nearby as part of the ongoing investigation. She noted there are some similarities between the weekend incidents, but there are also differences.

“At this time, the motives and any connection between the fires is still under investigation,” she said.

Mounties have released images from the Valhalla Drive and St. Paul Street fires.

Evelyn noted video of a pickup truck and a person were captured in relation to the Valhalla Drive fire, and while the image quality is poor, others in the area might have recorded something more clear.

A suspect was seen on St. Paul Street wearing a blue hooded zip-up jacket with a reflective strip on the right sleeves near the wrist, a large, reflective patch on the right side of the chest, and a wide reflective strip across the upper back.

The suspect had a black zippered backpack with one main zip pocket and a small zip pocket in the front, and wore black shoes with white soles, dark pants, gloves and a toque under their jacket hood.

Anyone with information that might be related to the investigation is asked to contact the Kamloops RCMP detachment at 250-828-3000.

Photo: RCMP

Police have released images related to a couple of suspicious fires sparked over the weekend in hopes that someone with more information will come forward.