The “multi-jurisdictional” team in charge of investigating suspicious fires in the region is now looking into a total of 18 blazes.
That number is up by four since Feb. 10, when officials first announced the formation of the investigative team.
The group includes the Wellington County and West Region OPP, Guelph Police Service, Halton Police Service, the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office and local fire departments.
Police updated the suspicious fires list in a press release on April 26, one day after a debris pile fire at a Puslinch property that was also the scene of an April 9 suspicious fire at an abandoned house.
The OPP also announced on Wednesday that investigators “are waiting on forensic analysis of evidence seized at (the) scenes and are analyzing any possible relationship between the fires.”
The rash of suspicious fires in and around Wellington County started in September.
Most of the blazes were set at vacant buildings, primarily in Guelph-Eramosa and Puslinch Townships.
Police are urging the public to report any suspicious vehicles or people in their community and are offering the following tips for owners of vacant buildings:
– secure unlocked structures;
– consider motion sensing cameras;
– ask neighbours to watch the property; and
– make regular visits to view the property.
Anyone with information regarding the fires can contact Detective Constable Kevin Detweiler of the Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip on-line at www.csgw.tips.
The suspicious fires include:
– house fire on Sept. 24 on 16th Line in Mapleton Township;
– house fire on Oct. 14 on 3rd Line in Guelph-Eramosa Township;
– house fire on Oct. 19 on 3rd Line in Guelph-Eramosa;
– house fire on Oct. 28 on Arkell Road in Puslinch Township;
– vehicle fire on Oct. 30 at 481 Townline Road in Puslinch;
– vehicle fire on Oct. 31 on Sideroad 10 in Puslinch;
– sawmill fire on Nov. 16 on 6th Line in Centre Wellington Township;
– cabin fire between Nov. 15 and 17 on Wellington Road 29 in Guelph-Eramosa;
– barn fire on Dec. 5 on Fife Road in Guelph;
– the Everton mill fire on Jan. 19 on Wellington Road 49 in Guelph-Eramosa;
– shop fire on Feb. 3 on Highway 7 in Guelph-Eramosa;
– barn/house fire on Feb. 3 on Township Road 3 in Guelph-Eramosa;
– hay bale fire on Feb. 15 on 3rd Line/32 Sideroad in the Town of Erin;
– house fire on March 5 at 59 Queen Street in Morriston;
– debris pile on March 12 on the 1st Line of Wellington North;
– house fire on April 9 on Concession 2 in Puslinch; and
– debris pile (from previous fire) on April 25 on Concession 2 in Puslinch.
Crime Stoppers has raised the minimum reward from $50 to $1,000 for information that leads an arrest. A tip provider could receive a reward up to $2,000 if the tip warrants it, Crime Stoppers officials state.
