Nelson Fire Rescue Service responded to four fires on Wednesday, three of which are believed to be suspicious.
On Wednesday, July 24, just before 6:30 p.m., Nelson Fire Rescue and Nelson Police responded to reports of a fire at Gyro Park.
When they arrived, crews discovered a 20-metre by 50-metre brush fire and focused on securing the water supply and setting up for a fire attack to limit the fire’s growth.
The fire service said in a media release that despite facing challenges accessing certain areas due to thick brush and steep terrain, firefighters, with the assistance of a nearby bucketing helicopter, gained control of the fire quickly.
While crews worked on the blaze, multiple new 911 calls reported a structure fire at the 1000 Block of Front Street.
An engine crew from the Gyro Park incident was dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, they witnessed the occupants of the home attempting to extinguish a basement fire with a garden hose.
The crew set up for a fire attack and made entry into the basement, extinguishing the fire.
While these calls were in progress, a third 911 call reported a grass fire near the railway tracks south of Walmart.
This was quickly actioned by a YRB crew that happened to be in the area. The Assistant Fire Chief requested assistance from BC Wildfire, who then dispatched a crew to support both efforts at Gyro Park and with the YRB crew.
In total, 19 Nelson Fire Fighters, along with crews from BC Wildfire, responded to the incidents.
The fires are deemed suspicious in nature and are currently under investigation by the Nelson Police Department, who said in a previous media release that they have a suspect in custody.
To aid in their investigation, NPD is seeking help locating any CCTV or dashcam footage from the area between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Fire Nelson Coin Laundry and Car Wash
Nelson Fire Rescue says the fires in the evening Wednesday are not related to another fire reported at the Nelson Coin Laundry and Carwash earlier in the day.
Crews responded to reports of the fire around 4 p.m. and found a blaze burning inside one of the dryers, which was quickly extinguished.
The blaze did not spread past the dryer, however, the building did suffer some smoke and water damage. The cause is believed to be the result of a dryer malfunction.
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