Brandon forms arson squad after uptick in suspicious blazes
Officials in Brandon are concerned about a “noticeable” uptick in arsons and suspicious fires, including a scary incident at the local Walmart. They’re hoping a newly-formed task force will help prevent arsons, as well as catch and prosecute those lighting fires illegally.
“It’s become a scary issue and it could get far worse if we don’t stay on top of it,” Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said about a series of suspicious fires in the western Manitoba city recently. “There has definitely been an increase, and some have been investigated and have been determined to be arson.”
The newly-formed Arson Task Force will have police and firefighters in Brandon work closely together, as Brandon Police Service (BPS) and Brandon’s Fire and Emergency Services (BFES) will take a more “collaborative approach” to investigating suspicious fires.
One high-profile arson recently left the city’s Walmart temporarily shut down, as on June 7, fire crews responded to reports of a fire at the big box store located at Brandon’s Corral Centre.
The fire was contained near the store’s front entrance area and there were no injuries reported. BPS later said Adirondack-style chairs at the entrance of the store were purposely set on fire. One day after the fire, BPS announced that two youths had been arrested and are facing charges.
“The fire at the Walmart was contained, but that could have been far, far worse,” Fawcett said. “We want to know why this is happening and who is doing these things. Let’s address this, and if there are a handful of people causing this, let’s address that as well.”
Along with the Walmart fire, Brandon Fire Chief Terry Parlow said there have been other suspicious fires in the city recently, including at homes, as well as dumpster fires that are being investigated, and it was decided that police and firefighters should be working closely to investigate the cause of the fires.
“This will see the two departments work together far more seamlessly,” Parlow said. “We will be sharing information with each other and meeting with each other on a weekly basis to ensure that these suspicious fire investigations are moving forward.
“What this does is provide resources for both departments dedicated to addressing the issue so we can eliminate or reduce the possibility of these incidents happening in the future, and keep residents, homes, and properties safe.”
The task force will also see police and firefighters work with the Office of the Fire Commissioner to assist in investigations if that is deemed necessary.
“Safety of the community is paramount, so we want to work to help police to bring people to justice as quickly as possible, if necessary,” Parlow said.
In a news release, BPS asked members of the public to reach out if they have any information that could help them as they investigate recent suspicious fires.
“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activities or information that may assist in our investigations,” BPS said. “The safety of our community is our top priority.”
— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
