WESTERN ONTARIO: Wellington County OPP investigating 17 suspicious fires

By Connor Lynch

Wellington County OPP and regional fire and police departments have launched a joint investigation into 17 suspicious fires that have broken out in the region.

The list of 17 fires stretches back to October 2016. That’s 17 fires in seven months, almost three per month.

“It’s very unusual for that many fires to occur in that little area,” said Wellington County OPP media relations officer Joshua Cunningham.

There were a number of factors that connected the fires, he added. The fires were largely in uninhabited or abandoned farmhouses. “In most cases, there were no utilities to the buildings. If you were to see these houses, it would be reasonable to assume there wouldn’t be anybody living there.”

What made the fires suspicious was they all lacked a “natural explanation as to why the fire started,” said Cunningham, though investigators have not gone so far as to call them arson or say if they’re related.

The fires under investigation are:

Oct. 14, 2016 — 5230 Third Line, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, unoccupied home

Oct. 19, 2016 — 5292 Third Line, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, unoccupied home

Oct. 28, 2016 —747 Arkell Road (Wellington Road 37), Twp. of Puslinch, unoccupied home

Oct. 30, 2016 — 481 Townline Rd., Twp. of Puslinch, inoperable vehicle

Oct. 31, 2016 — 4538 Side Rd. 10 North, Twp. of Puslinch, inoperable vehicle

Nov. 16, 2016 — 5953 Sixth Line, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, operating sawmill

Nov. 15 – 17, 2016 — 4916 Wellington Road 29, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, cabin under construction

Dec. 5, 2016 — 7070 Fife Rd., City of Guelph, unoccupied home

Jan. 9, 2017 — 4907 Seventh Line, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, residence and sheds

Jan. 19, 2017 — 5390 Wellington Road 49 Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, Everton Heritage Mill

Feb. 3, 2017 — 6873 Highway 7, Twp. of Guelph/Eramosa, abandoned shed