Victoria police investigating string of suspicious fires within 5-block radius

Victoria police and fire departments are investigating a string of suspicious fires all within a five-block radius.

On Tuesday night, firefighters responded to a burning car in the parking lot of a Mercedes dealership on Government Street. Crews were able to extinguish the blaze within minutes of arriving on the scene but the car was a write-off.

Earlier that evening, crews put out two other, smaller fires in the same neighbourhood. One was at Acme Cleaning Supplies and the other was a nearby brush fire, according to the Victoria Fire Department.

Those fires were just blocks away from a heritage home on Government Street that was destroyed by a late-night fire on July 2, and Ricky’s restaurant on Douglas Street, which was gutted by fire on June 16.

“Some of (the fires) are currently considered suspicious, but under investigation,” Victoria police spokesperson Bowen Osoko told Global News.

“Some have been confirmed to be arson. But the simple reality is we’re seeing a large number of fires all in a really similar geographic area, all in a very similar period of time. Now, we can’t conclusively say yet that all these fires are related or have the same suspect or that sort of thing. But we’re seeing similarities between them, and that’s what’s causing some concern.”

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David Screech, who owns Gregg’s Furniture and Upholstery on Government Street, said three of the fires have been very close to his store and he’s concerned about the situation.

“You do worry when it’s your livelihood and your business,” he told Global News.

“It would be devastating,” Screech added if a fire happened in their building.

He said he has talked to neighbouring businesses and all the owners are concerned.

“Given all the other street issues we face, this is just one more worry on top of that.”

Anyone who was in the area of any of the fires and either witnessed anything suspicious or has relevant dash-cam footage is asked to contact Victoria police.