Authorities fear an arsonist may be at work after three suspicious and destructive fires were sparked in Kelowna, B.C. overnight.
Deputy Fire Chief Jason Brolund said crews responded to separate blazes at a church, a Walmart and a strip mall, but have not confirmed the fires are connected.
"Our investigators are working with the RCMP today to look at each of the fires and determine if there may be a link," Drolund told ctvbc.ca.
"I can say the causes of all three fires appear to be suspicious."
The first fire was reported shortly before midnight at the 7th Day Adventist Church on Springfield Road. The blaze appears to have started in a garbage bin, but spread to the exterior of the church before it could be contained.
Deputy Fire Chief Jason Brolund said the damage was not extensive in the first fire -- but the second, which started less than an hour later, completely gutted a local business.
It began at around 12:45 a.m. Saturday at a strip mall in the 300-block of Banks Road, quickly spreading throughout one business, Flooring Canada. Around 40 firefighters responded to the fire, Brolund said, but were unable to salvage the store.
"The roof has burned through and what's left of it has collapsed into the building," Brolund told ctvbc.ca.
The other businesses in the mall were protected by a fire wall, Brolund said, but sustained some smoke and water damage.
The third suspicious fire was reported at 3:20 a.m. behind the Walmart in the 400-block of Banks Road. Crews were able to contain the fire before it spread beyond a number of garbage bins and pallets.
The damage in all three fires is still being assessed.
Anyone with information on any of the fires is asked to call Kelowna RCMP immediately.
