Fire destroys local business, considered suspicious: Vernon RCMP – Vernon News

UPDATE 12:03 p.m.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Vernon considers the fire at Sunshine Graphics to be suspicious and the investigation is ongoing.

The Mounties are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171 and quote case number 2024-15088.

“On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at approximately 5 a.m., police were requested to assist by Vernon Fire Rescue Services who were responding to a structure fire at a business in the 4500 block of 31st Street in Vernon,” Const. Chris Terleski said in an email.

“The building was significantly damaged by the fire.”

When it was safe to do so, a preliminary investigation was conducted. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but the fire has been classified as suspicious and the investigation is ongoing.

After a fire broke out around noon on Wednesday, firefighters were called to the store again.

UPDATE 11:36 p.m.

The Vernon business that burned down early Wednesday morning says “everything is lost” after the fire.

Sunshine Graphics, a family business owned by a local father and son, posted on its Facebook page that the company hopes to be back on its feet as soon as possible and thanked the community for its well wishes.

“As some of you know, our store burned down this morning and everything is gone,” the post said.

“Any of your support helps, even if you just share it to spread the word. To our customers who have already mentioned they are willing to wait until we are back on our feet, please know that your loyalty means everything to us.”

Photos posted on social media show that the interior of the building is completely destroyed.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The City of Vernon told Castanet that no one from the fire department was available for an interview about the incident.

ORIGINAL 19:53

A fire broke out in a graphic arts store in north Vernon early Wednesday morning.

A local resident sent Castanet a photo showing a large plume of smoke rising from the crime scene in the 4500 block of 31st Street shortly after 5:00 a.m.

When Vernon Fire Department personnel arrived, the building was already engulfed in flames.

“Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, but significant damage had already been caused throughout the building,” said a press release from the city of Vernon.

RCMP Vernon North Okanagan, BC Hydro and FortisBC also arrived at the scene.

There were no reports of injuries.

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.

Photo: David Betts

On the morning of September 4, 2024, smoke rises from a fire at an auto repair shop in Vernon.