The RCMP and Squamish Fire Rescue are warning residents to keep an eye out for one or several arsonists following numerous suspicious incidents this week.
The most potentially dangerous incident occurred early Wednesday (May 30) when a Molotov cocktail was launched at a 13,200-litre fuel tank at Sea to Sky Air on Loggers Lane.
"There was potential [for significant damage] with the size and volatility of the fuel," said fire chief Bob Fulton of the fire which occurred shortly before 1 a.m.
A security fence at Sea to Sky Air had been cut and someone had taken a gas caddy from a secure site, placed it beside the fuel tank, and set the caddy aflame with a Molotov cocktail. However, the tank did not ignite.
"Everything is under investigation, and we were told it was an arson," said DJ Little, operations manager of Sea to Sky Air. "There was a case of beer down there and other sorts of items of that nature, so it looks like it was a bunch of punks. "There's concerns with vandalism right around aircrafts, with it being a federal offense to mess around with anything to do with airplanes," said Little. There was a second incident at Third Avenue and Vancouver Street downtown Wednesday morning. "A bottle with gas in it was located under a vehicle. We believe it was intended to be lit, but it didn't ignite," said Cpl. Dave Ritchie.
Three vehicles were also set aflame on Tuesday (May 29) on a storage lot on Pemberton Ave. downtown. At 1:46 am a 2001 Lincoln limousine, a 1997 Lincoln limousine and a 1998 Ford Econoline Van were purposely set on fire, and extinguished by Squamish Fire Rescue. There was also an unsuccessful arson attempt on an abandoned home Friday (May 25) at the corner Cottonwood and Depot roads. The fire burned itself out before firefighters arrived.
There have been other incident over the winter that may be part ofthe investigation, said Ritchie.
"We're not sure if these are connected to a bus fire on May 14 on Greg Gardner's lot on Hwy 99 by the Sea to Sky Hotel," he said."I'm very frustrated that this is actually the third event we've had in the last six months," said Gardner, who has had two other vehicles set on fire on the same lot as the bus on Highway 99 opposite Greg Gardner Motors.
"We're just trying to see if we can connect them or if we have someone out there who is becoming active in the arson field," said Ritchie.
"If anyone notices anything, or sees something suspicious like people purchasing lots of rags and alcohol, they should call us, the fire department, or Crime Stoppers."
