Flames and a large plume of smoke rise from a fire at Kin Race Track Wednesday night.
Image Credit: Twitter/ Shaye Crncic
July 10, 2014 - 7:17 AM
VERNON - Fire knocked down the grandstands at Kin Race Track Wednesday night, drawing response from the Vernon Fire Department and police.
RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says an officer noticed the large cloud of smoke billowing from the fire around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. By that time, fire trucks were also on their way. The grandstands were fully involved when firefighters arrived.
The police dog unit was called in to assist, Molendyk says.
“We are actively involved in it (investigation), following up, looking into it,” Molendyk says.
The fire comes just days after the Okanagan Equestrian Centre announced it was canceling the 2014 summer race season due to required electrical upgrades. Those upgrades were requested in a notice from the City of Vernon, which, along with the Regional District of North Okanagan is currently engaged in a lawsuit against the society.
“The society views... the notice from the city as being an attempt to win the lawsuit by depleting its available funds,” the society’s spokesperson Ed Woolley said.
Vernon may also have a serial arsonist on its hands, with a total of over 20 suspicious fires in the last couple of months.
We will have more information as it becomes available.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014