Kelowna truck fire sparks suspicion

KELOWNA – A pair of vehicle fires in the Rutland area, one of them suspicious, has sparked the interest of Kelowna RCMP.

Police are considering a fire in a white Chevorlet pickup found in the 500 block of Hollydell Road around 10:30 p.m. yesterday, Jan. 4, suspicious, RCMP spokesman Const. Jesse O’Donaghey says.

A passing motorist noticed the blaze and extinguished it with snow before the Kelowna Fire Department arrived. The truck was only moderately damaged and is being examined by the RCMP forensic identification unit.

Just prior to that call police responded to another truck fire. The driver of a late ‘90s Mazda pickup pulled over on Highway 97 North at Stremel Road after seeing smoke coming from under the hood.

The 26-year-old Kelowna man driving the vehicle called 911 but when police and fire department responded, officers detected alcohol on the man’s breath.

He refused to provide a breath sample and was issued an immediate 90-day roadside prohibition and had his truck impounded for 30 days. The fire was not considered suspicious, police say.

Kelowna RCMP are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the vicinity of the Hollydell Road fire to contact the detachment at 250-808-0143.

To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.