In the early morning hours of Friday, September 1, 2017, five separate fires were extinguished by the Owen Sound Fire and Inter-Township Fire Departments in the downtown area of Owen Sound.

The Office of the Fire Marshal was contacted and a criminal investigation was commenced. The Fire Marshal has made a determination that the fire in the building located in the 1000 block of 2nd Avenue East was intentionally set.

The investigation has determined that the other four fires were also intentionally set. The fires were located at:
• 1:20 a.m - Porch of a house at the 1000 block of 3rd Avenue, 'A' East
• 1:30 a.m - A garbage dumpster at 1063 2nd Avenue East
• 4:20 a.m - Two garbage dumpsters at 908 2nd Avenue East
• 4:20 a.m - A wooden garbage shed at 928 2nd Avenue East
• 6:40 a.m - Commercial/Residential block, 1012 2nd Avenue East

There were no physical injuries reported in any of these incidents.
The Owen Sound Police Service continues to investigate and is seeking the public's assistance. If you have any information, or if you have any video that may capture the area between 12th Street East and 8th Street East from 4th Avenue East to 1st Avenue East, you are asked to contact investigators.

Investigators would like to speak to the man and woman that are potential witnesses who were in the area of the 1000 block of 3rd Avenue,'A' East between the hours of 1:00 a.m and 1:30 a.m, of Friday September 1st , 2017. If this was you, please contact A/Detective Sergeant C. Matheson at the Owen Sound Police Service Criminal Investigations Bureau - [email protected].

Anyone with information in relation to these incidents is asked to call the Owen Sound Police Service at (519) 376-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent online anonymously to cstip.ca

source: media release, Owen Sound Police