Waterloo Region, Ontario – The Waterloo Regional Police Service, with the assistance of Waterloo Fire Rescue Services and the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal have a dedicated team assigned to investigate an emerging trend of suspicious fires that have occurred in Waterloo over the past four months.
Each fire is being investigated independently; however, investigators are trying to determine if any of the incidents are related.
After further consultation, investigators are focusing on the following incidents:
- On Saturday, October 3, 2020, at approximately 3 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Erb Street West and Roosevelt Avenue for a report of chairs beside a dumpster on fire.
- On Saturday, October 10, 2020, at approximately 1 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Amos Avenue and Vogel Place for reports of a residential fire.
- On Thursday, October 15, 2020, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Regina Street and William Street East for reports of a mattress on fire.
- On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, at approximately 9 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Columbia Street West and Spruce Street for reports of a garage fire.
- On Monday, October 26, 2020, at approximately 6:50 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Lester Street and Hickory Street West for reports of a detached garage on fire.
- On Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at approximately 2:10 p.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Northfield Drive and Conestoga Parkway for reports of a transport tractor trailer; parked in a parking lot on fire.
- On Friday, November 6, 2020, at approximately 1:40 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Columbia Street West in Waterloo for a report of a garbage bin on fire.
- On Saturday, November 7, 2020, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Weber Street North for a report of a shopping cart on fire.
- On Sunday, November 8, 2020, at approximately 3:50 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Albert Street for a report of a recycling bin on fire.
- On Monday, November 9, 2020, at approximately 12:10 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of King Street North and Columbia Street East for a report of a garbage bin and a pile of leaves on fire.
- On Saturday, November 28, 2020, at approximately 6:15 a.m., Waterloo Fire Rescue and WRPS responded to the area of Columbia Street West for a residential fire.
- On Saturday, November 28, 2020, at approximately 8:15 a.m., Waterloo Regional Police received a report that a tree covered in burlap was set on fire sometime overnight in the area of Fern Crescent.
- On Thursday, December 10, 2020, at approximately 2:15 a.m., Waterloo Fire and WRPS responded to the area of Erb Street West for reports of a large recycling bin on fire.
Waterloo Fire Rescue reminds residents and business owners to be fire safe and vigilant at all times. The public is reminded to do the following:
- If you witness a fire incident, ensure the safety of you and your loved ones by calling 9-1-1
- Install and maintain smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas
- Ensure carbon monoxide alarms are installed adjacent to all sleeping areas of the home
- Ensure you complete a home fire escape plan with your family by knowing two (2) ways out of your home
- Lock and secure homes, vehicles, machinery/equipment and fence gates and
- Secure combustibles (such as brush, trash, recyclables and gas cans) and flammables and store them in a locked shed outside or in a locked container
Waterloo Regional Police would like to remind the public report any suspicious activity to police immediately. Anyone with information or dash camera or surveillance footage of these incidents is encouraged to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.