Island RCMP investigating 2 arson cases in western P.E.I.
Noah Richardson | CBC News | Posted: August 1, 2017 8:00 PM | Last Updated: August 1, 2017
Abandoned home, cottage destroyed in Mount Royal and Derby blazes
Island RCMP are investigating two suspected cases of arson in two West Prince communities.
Police say an abandoned home in Mount Royal, P.E.I., and a vacant cottage 10 kilometres away in Derby, P.E.I., were both destroyed by fire early Sunday morning. Emergency officials responded to both incidents around 2 a.m.
Both properties were burned beyond recognition.
The RCMP say they suspect the fires were the work of arsonists. The investigations are ongoing.
Fire index extreme
The Forest Fire Weather Index is currently extreme in western P.E.I., and police say there are worried that if another fire is set in this area or anywhere else on the Island, the destruction could be much worse.
"There has been a history of fires being set in abandoned buildings up in western P.E.I.," said Sgt. Darrell Gill with Prince District RCMP. "We see a lot of that during Halloween, so it's not uncommon up there for sure."
Prince District RCMP are asking anyone with information that might help them catch whoever is responsible for the fires to call them or P.E.I. Crime Stoppers.
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