Police investigating arson in Creemore

Police are investigating a fire at an abandoned house in Creemore, with arson being the suspected cause.

Clearview Township firefighters from all five stations were called to the fire on Edward Street East, just before 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 9. The house was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

Fire Chief Colin Shewell said the house had no power or utilities, and evidence found outside of the house led firefighters to believe the fire was intentionally set.

“The scene was held by OPP because of evidence found outside and we were concerned if there was anybody or anything of interest inside,” said Shewell. “We couldn’t make entrance because it was unstable.”

It took a team of 35 firefighters about four hours to clear the scene.

The Office of the Fire Marshal was called but declined to investigate so Shewell said he and a team of firefighters from Station 4 investigated the following day, dismantling the building with an excavator. He said no human remains were found inside and any evidence collected was handed over to the police.

Because it was a defensive attack, Shewell said fire crews got water from a fire hydrant near the school instead of running a water shuttle from a weaker hydrant on Edward Street in an effort not to disrupt water distribution to homes in the area. He said taking water from the weaker hydrant could affect water pressure and flows.

Photo: Alicia Lawson/Abandoned Echoes Photography