Investigators suspect fires at south Edmonton homes under construction to be arsons
Edmonton police are seeking tips and video after a series of suspicious fires broke out recently in three established communities just south of the river.
The fires, believed by investigators to be intentionally set, occurred over the past two weeks.
The first one happened on Oct. 18, just off Whyte Avenue, at 80 Avenue and 81 Street in the King Edward Park neighbourhood. A new build was destroyed in that blaze.
Crews responded just before 1 a.m. to the blaze that levelled the home, and crews remained on scene throughout the day putting out hot spots.
A second fire broke out just before 1 a.m. on Oct. 21 at 90 Avenue and 98 Street in the Strathcona neighbourhood.
The city said firefighters rolled up to find the under-construction home consumed by flames and a neighbouring property also affected. The fire was put out just under two hours later.
The other two fires happened further west in the Belgravia area, to the south of the University of Alberta.
A home on 77 Avenue and 116 Street went up in flames on Sunday, Oct. 26. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said it was called just before 11:30 p.m. to find a fire at the back of a multiplex being build, with neighbouring units at risk.
The city said more crews were called in and while they got the flames under control in about an hour, it took until the following mid-afternoon for it to be extinguished completely.
Three days later and just a few blocks away at 74 Avenue and 118A Street, another under-construction multi-family home was damaged by flames.
Firefighters were called on Oct. 29 just before 11 p.m. and arrived to find a fire in the basement of the multiplex. It was brought under control in just over an hour and put out by 4:45 a.m.
“It was unnerving. You don’t sleep easily the first night,” said area resident Gary Colwell, who witnessed the fires.
Thankfully, police said no injuries were reported.
Both Belgravia fires happened at multiplexes that were in various stages of construction. Edmonton police say this multi-community investigation is a top priority.
Last spring, a 16-unit infill development was deliberately set ablaze in Crestwood, an affluent neighbourhood across the North Saskatchewan River from Belgravia.
That arson caused significant damage to an under-construction building that some community members had been fighting.
Colwell doesn’t know why the properties on his side of the river have also gone up in flames but noted there has been tension in the city this past year surrounding higher-density properties going up in established neighbourhoods that have, for decades, been primarily filled with highly sought after single-family homes.
“It is curious. Lots of people are upset with the infill, because of the speed at which it has been carried out and the kind of buildings permitted.
Two years ago, a series of extortion arsons took place across the region targeting houses being built by south Asian homebuilders, prompting police to launch a complex investigation called Project Gaslight that led to several arrests and one of the accused being sentenced on Friday.
Edmonton police did not respond when asked if these latest fires are connected to Project Gaslight.
Edmonton Police Service investigators are asking residents in the affected neighborhoods to check their home security footage for any suspicious activity between the hours of 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. on the dates of the fires.
Residents and visitors are also encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, especially around construction or infill sites, to police.
“We recognize the community is concerned about these fires in their neighbourhood, and we want to assure them that this investigation is a top priority for our team,” said EPS acting staff Sgt. Heather Morrison.
“We have increased proactive patrols in the affected communities and are working closely with community partners to help prevent further occurrences.”
Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call the non-emergency line at 780-423-4567 or submit information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.
globalnews
