Suspicious fire at Vernon pet store

VERNON – RCMP has launched an arson investigation after a suspicious fire at a downtown Vernon pet store Sunday night.

Vernon firefighters responded to a call around 6:20 a.m., Sept. 6, about smoke coming from AJ’s Pets and Things at 3219 31 Ave.

Capt. Reinhard Mann says crews found a fire had been set at the rear of the building.

“They extinguished the fire but found extensive smoke throughout the building,” Mann says.

Mann says there was a man on the scene trying to extinguish the blaze, but he isn’t suspected of starting the fire.

RCMP are investigating the suspicious fire.

In June of 2014, two men were arrested for setting fire to some trash behind the same pet store.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 1:12 p.m., Sept. 8, 2015, to correct the time of day.