Arson suspected in trailer fire
Posted Jul 20, 2011 12:57:52 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Guelph police say alert neighbours may have saved several lives early this morning.
The neighbours were awakened by the sound of propane tanks exploding and made a 911 call around 3 AM. The tanks were exploding in a nearby driveway on Grange Road, where a camper trailer had caught fire.
And Guelph police Constable Michael Gatto says the flames came perilously close to the home where the trailer was parked.
“The siding on the front (of the house) doesn’t even look like siding anymore. It’s completely melted. (The fire) was so close to actually catching the house itself on fire and if people didn’t hear (the propane tanks exploding), it potentially could have spread to the house,” Gatto explains. “There was a family in there sleeping and we could be talking about a far worse scenario.”
As it stands, damage is pegged at $120,000 but no injuries are reported.
Guelph police are also appealing to the public for information that could provide leads in their investigation. At this point, arson is suspected.
“The trailer wasn’t connected to any source of electricity so there’s nothing to suggest the fire could have been started by a short circuit,” Gatto notes. “The owner has also reported that a fire extinguisher kept inside the trailer is now missing.”
Gatto says no piece of information should be considered too insignificant to bother police. He wants to hear from anyone who noticed unusual activity in the Grange Road area between 2:30 and 3:30 this morning.
The investigation continues.
