Series of arson fires set at multi-residential buildings cause significant damage

The Victoria police are investigating after fires were deliberately set near multi-residential buildings in James Bay yesterday morning.

Police were called to a building in the 800-block of Academy Close just before 3 am on Tuesday morning for a report of a suspicious vehicle fire.

When officers arrived, Victoria Fire Department firefighters were extinguishing the flames.

Set in the underbuilding parking area, the fire damaged two vehicles, as well as the exterior walls and exterior floor of the above residential suite.

The fire was determined to be arson.

At the same time, a second person called 911 after spotting a small fire at a multi-unit residential building parking structure in the 900-block of Humboldt Street.

Officers attended and located evidence of a small, deliberately set fire that had failed to fully ignite.

Just before 7:30 am, Victoria Fire Department firefighters called officers to the parking area of a multi-unit residential building in the 100-block of Douglas Street after extinguishing a fire set under a canopy there, which caused damage to the exterior walls.

Shortly after 1 pm, damage caused by another small, deliberately set fire that failed to fully ignite was discovered at a second multi-unit residential in the 100-block of Douglas Street.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported due to the fires.

If you have information about these incidents, dashcam or surveillance footage from these areas from between 1 am on Tuesday morning and 1 pm on Tuesday afternoon, please call the non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 and press 1 to speak with the Report Desk.

To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.