A dumpster fire that raged early Monday morning below a commercial building in the 600-block of Boleskine Road in Saanich is now being investigated by police.
When Saanich firefighters arrived about 1:15 a.m. Monday at the parking and garbage bin area off Tennyson Avenue, the volume of smoke was so heavy it was difficult to determine the source of the fire, said Assistant Deputy Chief Rob Heppell.
“We … dispatched additional units,” he said, adding that it was quickly determined the contents of a dumpster were burning and the lid was closed.
The bin was actually right below a sprinkler head, which activated but it wasn’t enough to put the fire out with the lid shut.
The concrete construction of the building prevented the fire from spreading, and there was no other damage. As the interior fire alarms were activated, firefighters did an inside sweep to check air quality and smoke penetration.
Saanich saw back-to-back dumpster fires last summer that were investigated as arson. While firefighters do attend such fires occasionally, Heppell said the department has not seen a rash of them lately.
ALSO READ: String of Saanich dumpster fires sparks concern from police, fire departments
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