Fires mar holiday weekend in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Penticton emergency personnel and Osoyoos firefighters responded to three fires over the Christmas weekend.

Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says Penticton RCMP and Penticton Fire Department responded to a shed fire on Three Mile Road in Naramata early in the morning of Friday, Dec. 24.

The shed building was destroyed, as were many heirlooms and antiques contained in the building.

The fire is suspected to have originated in the area of a space heater and heat lamp being used in the shed.

Penticton police and fire personnel also attended a car fire in front of 703 Forestbrook Drive at 5 a.m. Dec. 24. The fire appears to have been deliberately set as a window in the vehicle was broken.

Police suspect the fire was a targeted incident.

The incident continues to be investigated.

Osoyoos Fire Department Chief Rick Jones says firefighters in Osoyoos were called to an older park model trailer on Lakehead Campsite Road yesterday, Dec. 26, around 6 p.m. to a structure fire that turned out to be a wall plug burning.

“We hosed it down and cut a three foot square section of the wall away to ensure the fire hadn’t spread,” Jones says.

He advised the owners to find other accommodation for the night.


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Steve Arstad

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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