Arson

The walls had to come down on the Bankhead Convenience store in Kelowna to allow fire crews access to the blaze. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

Man arrested for arson in Kelowna convenience store blaze

Bankhead Convenience was destroyed on the morning of June 4

 

An occupied residence next to the Theo’s Restaurant parking lot that was set on fire by a suspect who was arrested on Sept. 18. (Brennan Phillips - Penticton Western News)

Penticton man sentenced to time served for arson behind Theo’s Restaurant

Owen Dean Winchester has spent nearly 600 days in jail and said he is clean now

 

Kelowna Fire Department. (Black Press file photo)

Suspicious Kelowna shed fire quickly doused

The blaze sparked at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday

 

Firefighters in Coldstream are battling a major house fire on Hawthorne Place Friday, Jan. 14. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

Vernon arson suspect to stand trial

Matthew Eric Mason is the suspect tied to a fire that destroyed a Coldstream home in early 2022

Firefighters in Coldstream are battling a major house fire on Hawthorne Place Friday, Jan. 14. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
Steven Marlo Gallagher, seen here in a file RCMP image, was found guilty on Friday of setting fire to a pharmacy in Oliver in 2021. (RCMP)

Oliver man found guilty of setting pharmacy on fire on night of RCMP detachment shooting

Steven Marlo Gallagher will be sentenced for the crime at a later date

Steven Marlo Gallagher, seen here in a file RCMP image, was found guilty on Friday of setting fire to a pharmacy in Oliver in 2021. (RCMP)
Golden-Field RCMP received 238 calls for service in April 2023. (Phil McLachlan/Capital News/Stock)

2 months later still no charges in Golden courthouse arson

Golden-Field RCMP received 238 calls for service in April, down from 244 in March

Golden-Field RCMP received 238 calls for service in April 2023. (Phil McLachlan/Capital News/Stock)
An arson fire completely destroyed the Penticton Toyota dealership in May. The black plume of smoke could be seen across the city. Two were arrested for the arson but charges have not been formalized. (Facebook)

Penticton man charged for Toyota dealership arson

Donald Richard Lorenzetto was arrested and charged for the 2022 blaze

An arson fire completely destroyed the Penticton Toyota dealership in May. The black plume of smoke could be seen across the city. Two were arrested for the arson but charges have not been formalized. (Facebook)
B.C. Supreme Court chambers at the Penticton Law Courts on Main Street. (Western News file photo)

‘Shoebox’ debacle forces extension of arson trial for Oliver man

During testimony an additional piece of evidence was brought up

B.C. Supreme Court chambers at the Penticton Law Courts on Main Street. (Western News file photo)
A fire destroyed a Coldstream home Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Matthew Eric Mason was charged with arson and has elected to be tried by judge and jury in Supreme Court. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

Vernon man charged with arson to be tried by judge and jury

A home in Coldstream was destroyed by fire in January 2022

A fire destroyed a Coldstream home Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Matthew Eric Mason was charged with arson and has elected to be tried by judge and jury in Supreme Court. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
An arsonist who caused more than half a million dollars in damages after setting fire to two Metro Vancouver restaurants has been sentenced to more than five years in prison. RCMP in Burnaby, B.C., say Steven Sorenson will also have a three-year probation order after his release from prison. The RCMP logo is seen outside the force’s ‘E’ division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Serial arsonist who targeted B.C. restaurants sentenced to five-plus years in prison

Korean restaurant and a sushi restaurant in Burnaby targeted

An arsonist who caused more than half a million dollars in damages after setting fire to two Metro Vancouver restaurants has been sentenced to more than five years in prison. RCMP in Burnaby, B.C., say Steven Sorenson will also have a three-year probation order after his release from prison. The RCMP logo is seen outside the force’s ‘E’ division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
An early morning fire on March 13 destroyed the Golden courthouse and sent one firefighter to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. (Town of Golden/Instagram)

More time needed to determine cause of blaze at Golden courthouse

RCMP forensics team spearheading the case

An early morning fire on March 13 destroyed the Golden courthouse and sent one firefighter to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. (Town of Golden/Instagram)
A fire, set in diapers in the Nanaimo Walmart, closed the store for five days in February and caused tens of thousands of merchandise items, including food, to be tossed in the garbage, according to a statement from Walmart Canada. (News Bulletin file photo)

Walmart reports ‘tens of thousands of items’ destroyed after Nanaimo diaper fire

Food spoiled, baby essentials ruined in ‘dangerous and shameful’ arson incident last month

A fire, set in diapers in the Nanaimo Walmart, closed the store for five days in February and caused tens of thousands of merchandise items, including food, to be tossed in the garbage, according to a statement from Walmart Canada. (News Bulletin file photo)
The garage next to the Theo’s Restaurant parking lot that was allegedly set on fire by a suspect who was arrested on Sept. 18. (Brennan Phillips - Penticton Western News)

Penticton man accused of arson pleads guilty to breaching release after getting caught with lighter

Owen Winchester will remain in jail until his trial in June

The garage next to the Theo’s Restaurant parking lot that was allegedly set on fire by a suspect who was arrested on Sept. 18. (Brennan Phillips - Penticton Western News)
Nanaimo RCMP are still looking to identify a suspect behind an intentionally set fire the Walmart store at Woodgrove Centre, Feb. 22. (File photo)

RCMP still sniffing for culprit in diaper fire that closed a B.C. Walmart for days

Chemical discharges from smouldering diapers and fire extinguisher needed to be ventilated

Nanaimo RCMP are still looking to identify a suspect behind an intentionally set fire the Walmart store at Woodgrove Centre, Feb. 22. (File photo)
web / Facebook Photo

Man charged with six counts of arson after series of fires in BC’s Heritage Park

Dating back to July of 2021, the Mission park has been targeted with intentional fires

web / Facebook Photo
The Kelowna Fire Department. (Black Press file photo)

Kelowna Fire Department deals with two suspicious blazes within a few hours

Crews were called to building fires on Bernard Avenue and St. Paul Street

The Kelowna Fire Department. (Black Press file photo)
An old burn pile was reignited near the Westwold landfill and discovered May 1, 2022. (Patrick Green photo)

Woman pleads guilty to Monte Lake, Kamloops arson

Fires sparked in spring of 2022 following the devastating White Rock Lake wildfires

  • Jan 27, 2023
An old burn pile was reignited near the Westwold landfill and discovered May 1, 2022. (Patrick Green photo)
Fire destroyed a Coldstream home Friday, Jan. 14. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

Arson suspect facing trial for Coldstream home fire

Matthew Mason remains in custody, will be back in court next year

Fire destroyed a Coldstream home Friday, Jan. 14. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
RCMP are looking to speak with a motorcyclist who was driving by at the time of an explosive fire on 20th Street July 18. (Dean Gordon-Smith photo)

Motorcyclist driving by explosive Vernon fire sought

RCMP wanting speak with individual who may have been injured

RCMP are looking to speak with a motorcyclist who was driving by at the time of an explosive fire on 20th Street July 18. (Dean Gordon-Smith photo)
A man arrested in connection with a fire at a 20th Street townhouse late Monday, July 18, has a lengthy criminal past. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Vernon arson suspect was on probation for Kelowna explosives charge

Lorne Paananen, 41, charged in townhouse fire has long list of criminal charges

A man arrested in connection with a fire at a 20th Street townhouse late Monday, July 18, has a lengthy criminal past. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)