Police are seeking information into a suspected arson fire at a Rutland townhouse. | Credit: RCMP hand out

Police seek information on suspected arson in Rutland

KELOWNA – An early-morning fire that significantly damaged a townhouse on Kneller Road on the weekend may have been arson.

The occupants of the townhouse were home when the fire started just after midnight, March 29, but managed to escape unharmed.

A Kelowna Fire Department crew extinguished the fire shortly after arriving, but not before it caused significant damage to the home and a nearby Chevrolet pickup truck.

Kelowna RCMP spokesperson Joe Duncan says in a press release police are continuing their investigation into the blaze, which occurred in the 100 block of Kneller Road in Rutland.

Police won’t say what started the fire, which was centered around the front door of the dwelling, but are calling it a 'deliberately set fire' and are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the RCMP at 250-762-3300 or by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infotelnews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 4:26 p.m., April 2, 2015 to included a photo provided by RCMP.

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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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