Friday, March 29, 2024

Boylston fire deemed suspicious

RCMP request public’s help

  • March 24 2021
  • By Lois Ann Dort, Local Journalism Initiative reporter    

BOYLSTON – An unoccupied mini home on Reddys Hill, near Boylston, Guysborough County was damaged by fire on the night of March 17. An RCMP news release on March 18 stated that, “The fire is believed to be suspicious and the investigation is ongoing.”

RCMP and Milford Haven Fire and Emergency Services were called to the scene at approximately 11:53 p.m.

Shawn Andrews, director of fire, emergency and IT services for the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) told The Journal via email on March 19 that the home had, “upgrades and alterations over the years which provided a challenge to the firefighting efforts.”

When fire and emergency services arrived at the scene, a large section of the roof had already burned through and the fire was visible, wrote Andrews.

Twenty firefighters from Milford Haven Fire and Emergency Services attended the scene. They had to return “due to a rekindle, early the next morning, as a result of deep-seeded fire extension, in a non-visible area, which was unsafe for firefighters [to] investigate, due to fire damage,” stated Andrews.

He estimated that with response, cleanup and all other duties necessary after a fire, approximately 140 person hours went into addressing the call.

Andrews added, “Since all local firefighters are volunteers, after being out for most of the night, many members still had to attend work the next day, which continues to show the true dedication of the fire service, right across the entire municipality.”

An RCMP spokesperson told The Journal on March 19 that the fire marshall had attended the scene on March 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but couldn't give an estimate on when a final report would be available, or state why the fire was deemed suspicious.

While the mini home was extensively damaged, there were no injuries in the unoccupied building.

The Guysborough District RCMP is asking for the public's help in determining the cause of the fire. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Guysborough RCMP Detachment at 902-533-3801. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.