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West Shore RCMP investigating two suspicious fires three days apart from each other

Fires both reported near West Shore Parkway in Langford
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Langford Fire Rescue and West Shore RCMP are investigating two suspicious fires that took place in abandoned homes in Langford three days apart from each other. (Black Press Media file photo)

Two fires that took place at abandoned Langford homes within a week are being considered suspicious, according to West Shore RCMP.

Firefighters from Langford, Colwood and View Royal were called to a structure at West Shore Parkway and Langshire Road on Wednesday, Nov. 11 around 9:45 p.m for reports of smoke.

Crews arrived to find a fire at the back of the vacant building on the first floor, which was quickly extinguished.

Const. Nancy Saggar, media relations for the West Shore RCMP, said while that fire was small and contained quickly, a second fire on Nov. 14 was larger and caused more damage.

READ MORE: Man arrested in connection to Victoria arson that destroyed two vehicles

Around 8:30 that night, firefighters from Langford, Colwood and View Royal were once again called for reports of smoke, this time to a vacant structure at West Shore Parkway and Glenshire Road, not far from the previous fire.

Crews had difficulty dragging hoses up to the building as there was no driveway access, said Langford Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Lance Caven. Firefighters faced a similar problem with hose access at the Nov. 11 fire.

The Saturday night fire was contained to a staircase in the building and crews finished around 10:30 p.m.

“There’s not a lot of abandoned buildings in Langford because most of the time they get demolished quickly and developed. This one has been sitting vacant for a while,” Caven said.

Saggar said that they cannot state whether the two fires are connected until they complete their investigation.

ALSO READ: Brush fire near View Royal neighbourhood believed to be human-caused


 

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aaron.guillen@goldstreamgazette.com



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