A man is in custody because he allegedly started a fire behind a Kelowna pub after unsuccessfully trying to steal alcohol.
Firefighters were called to a blaze behind Packing House Neighbourhood Pub just after 4:30 p.m. on Monday night.
A man tried stealing from the liquor store, pub owner Gerald Bugera said.
The man then set fire to the cedar shrubs out the back of the pub, Bugera alleged.
Police said they were called to the scene and when they arrived, they found a hedge on fire.
“Flames were already shooting 25-30 feet in the sky,” RCMP Cpl. Ryan Fehler said.
“An individual on scene had located the individual believed to be responsible for starting the fire, and who was also the individual that had been causing a disturbance earlier at the pub.”
One person is in custody, but no charges have been laid because the incident is still under investigation, Fehler said.
“There were some quick actions by residents in the area that were able to get some water on the fire and minimize the damage that was created by the fire and prevent the flames from spreading to the building,” Fehler said.
No one was injured, but staff are shaken up by the incident, Bugera said.