Over the past month, fires have burned four churches across the province.
The most recent fire happened Wednesday, December 20, destroying a church Northeast of Airdrie. According to Michael Bourgon, the Manager of Emergency and Fire Services for Wheatland County, emergency crews received a call at approximately 6:12 a.m. on Wednesday morning alerting crews to a fire at the Beiseker Level-Land Seventh-Day Adventist Church, located east of Beiseker. Upon arrival the structure was fully involved, with a total loss to the structure.
Another two fires this month happened on December 7th, when Barrhead RCMP responded to a structure fire at the Glenreagh Church, located on Range Road 40 in Barrhead. At 9:00 p.m. Barrhead RCMP responded to a second structure fire at the United Church, located on Range Road 54 in Barrhead. RCMP and the Barrhead Fire Services continue to investigate the cause of the fires, and both are being treated as arson. An older model two tone truck was observed leaving the scene at the Glenreagh Church and is believed to be linked to the fires.
Another fire was reported on Dec. 15, just before 10:30 p.m. when Wood Buffalo RCMP responded to a call of a structure fire in Janvier. Upon arrival, RCMP noted that the Janvier Church was fully engulfed in flames. RCMP spoke to people in the area who witnessed a silver sedan driving away from the church around the time it went up in flames.
All fires had no injuries, and all are under investigation. If you have information regarding any of these fires, please contact your local RCMP or Crimestoppers.
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