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Arsonists target residential parking lots in Victoria neighbourhood

Victoria police respond to a weapons call at a motel-turned-homeless shelter on Friday, July 24, 2020.
Victoria police respond to a weapons call at a motel-turned-homeless shelter on Friday, July 24, 2020. Global News

Several multi-unit residential buildings in Victoria were damaged by suspicious fires this week, all of which targeted their parking lots.

No one was injured in the series of fires, which took place in the James Bay neighbourhood between 3 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, police said.

Victoria police are still investigating and have not indicated whether the fires are connected.

The first fire, determined to be arson, took place just before 3 a.m. in “underbuilding parking area” of a building in the 800 block of Academy Close, police said in a Wednesday news release.

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Firefighters were putting out the flames when officers arrived, but the fire damaged two vehicles and the exterior walls and floor of the residential suite above.

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At the same time, the release said officers were called to a small fire at a multi-unit residential building parking lot in the 900 block of Humboldt Street. That “deliberately set” fire failed to fully ignite.

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A third fire was set shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday under a canopy in the parking area of a building in the 100 block of Douglas Street. That fire damaged the exterior walls, police said.

A fourth “deliberately set” fire was reported just after 1 p.m. at a second multi-unit residential building in the same block, but it failed to fully ignite.

Victoria police are asking anyone with information about the incidents, including witnesses or anyone with with dashcam or surveillance footage, to contact them.

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The non-emergency line can be reached at 250-995-7654. Crime Stoppers can be reached at 1-800-222-8477.

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