RCMP, fire officials investigating Okanagan Falls fire

PENTICTON – A fire in Okanagan Falls early Sunday morning is being treated as suspicious and is under investigation.

The Centex gas station’s Go Market on Highway 97 suffered smoke and water damage in a fire reported at about 2 a.m., Aug. 14.

Go Market manager Edward Thomas says would-be thieves tried to access the building through roof openings, but when that failed, an incendiary device was thrown inside. He says most of the stock was damaged in the fire.

Thomas says the fire was discovered by an off-duty firefighter who could see flames erupting from the building.

Penticton RCMP Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says members of the RCMP attended the fire and are calling it suspicious. Police and fire officials are investigating.

No one was hurt.

The business, which reopened recently after being closed for several years, has been victim to a recent break-and-enter, and a previous suspicious fire which resulted in a delivery van burning up in the parking lot in May of this year.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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