A fire bug has set multiple fires around a Nanaimo elementary school.
There have been eight small fires this month at Brechin Elementary School at 510 Millstone Ave. Police believe all were intentionally set.
No students or staff were injured, but the first fire on April 3 prompted the evacuation of the school for several hours, said Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O’Brien.
On that day, an alarm sounded from the school’s basement, sending students and staff out of the building.
Nanaimo firefighters arrived and found a smoke-filled utility room. The smoke and sprinklers caused about $5,000 in damage.
The following seven fires, six of which happened outside the school building, involved clothing and pieces of paper being set alight. All of them went out on their own and caused no damage.
“These fires are very troubling and have resulted in the school having to put extra security in place to patrol the school and grounds after hours,” O’Brien said.
Nanaimo RCMP’s school liaison unit is investigating and working closely with Nanaimo fire inspectors and officials from School District 68. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information on the fires is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 quoting file No. 2019-11585. To report anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at nanaimocrimestoppers.com or call 1-800-222-8477.
