Fire officials say no horses were injured after a suspicious blaze erupted at two barns on the Port Alberni Fair Grounds.
First responders were called to the fair grounds, near Vimy and Hollywood streets, just before midnight Monday.
When they arrived, two of four horse barns were engulfed by flames.
“Crews worked hard and have prevented spread to the remaining horse barns,” Port Alberni Fire said in an update at 12:30 a.m. The fire was completely knocked down and crews were on scene for about two hours.
They returned mid-day Tuesday to douse several hot spots that flared up.
Firefighters confirmed later Tuesday that the cause of the blaze is suspicious and they, as well as RCMP, are on scene investigating.
No horses or people were injured, but both barns were levelled in the blaze.
Alberni District Fall Fair Association president Scott Green told CHEK News that the loss is “devastating,” adding that the buildings, which were built in 1992, were not insured.
“The way insurance is these days we could only get insurance on two of our buildings on the grounds,” he told CHEK News.
“You know the thing is the hours we put into this, they’re all volunteer hours and we had various groups like Lions and Kinsmen build these buildings.”
He estimated that it would cost about $60,000 to $70,000 to replace the barns given the rising cost of lumber.
“I’m thoroughly disgusted and a whole lot P-O’d. Yeah I don’t know what to do or what to say. This isn’t the first buildings we’ve had burn here,” said Dave Best, Fall Fair Agriculture Director.
Another suspicious fire burned down a building containing an office about three months ago and Port Alberni Fire Chief Mike Owens said a subsequent investigation determined that had been intentionally set. No arrests were made in relation to that fire.
Green said this September’s fall fair will still go ahead, but the loss of the barns will impact the event.
CHEK News
