Police investigating fires at two abandoned houses in same area

Police are investigating two early morning fires within six days in two abandoned houses on the 3rd Line here.

An unoccupied house was destroyed by fire on Oct. 14.

Guelph-Eramosa Fire Department received a call just after 6am to a report of a “working house fire” at an unoccupied two-storey farmhouse on the 3rd Line.

Deputy fire chief Jim Petrik said the department was called just after 6am.

“It was an unoccupied building that was in fact fully involved and we set up defensive firefighting position to protect exposures,” said Petrik.

The building, which has been unoccupied for some time, was destroyed.

Five days later, just after 5:30am on Oct. 19, Guelph-Eramosa fire responded to another fire in an abandoned home less than a kilometre down the road from the first call.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and the structure is still standing.

Petrik said it is too early to say if the fires are suspicious in nature.

“We haven’t done any investigation here to find out what the root cause of this is or anything like that,” said Petrik. “If you read between the lines, there’s something going on, potentially.”

Wellington County OPP Constable Bob Bortolato said police are also investigating both fires.

Trucks from Puslinch, Fergus and Erin also responded to the calls.

“We have no idea of what caused this, we are investigating, but at this point we have no idea,” Petrik said.

No injuries were reported in either fire. The Fire Marshal’s office was notified of both blazes.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip at csgw.tips.