Detectives from the Victoria Police Department’s Major Crime Unit are investigating Wednesday (July 12) morning’s car fire at the Mercedes dealership on Government Street in Victoria.
Police were called just after midnight on July 12 with a report of a vehicle on fire. Victoria firefighters put out the blaze while police closed nearby streets to vehicle traffic.
The investigation into the cause is ongoing, but police are treating the fire as suspicious.
The area has become something of a hot spot for suspicious fires, with police investigating several incidents in the area, including a June 16 fire at Douglas Street and Burnside Road, a June 23 fire at a vehicle rental business in the 2500-block of Government Street and a July 2 fire at an unoccupied residence that was undergoing renovations in the 2500-block of Government Street.
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Speaking on Wednesday, Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said there’s been an uptick in incidents this year.
“All call types this year are up substantially over last year,” he said. “We are very busy.”
Atkinson described Wednesday’s blaze as a “difficult fire” as it damaged a second vehicle parked nearby and completely burned away the convertible top of the first car.
While no one has been injured in any of these fires, they have resulted in significant damage.
Police ask anyone with information to call the VicPD Report Desk at 250-995-7654, ext. 1.
-With files from Christine van Reeuwyk
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