Pickering townhouse fire may have been deliberate, police say

Three homes have been destroyed after a fire ripped through a townhouse complex in Pickering.

Emergency crews were called to the scene on Valley Farm Road, near Kingston and Brock roads, around 1:20 a.m. on Wednesday.

“When the units arrived on scene, all three units were full engulfed in flames,” platoon chief Paul Bender explained.

“The crews did a very good job of knocking it down and saving the rest of the townhouse complex from further damage.”

Police said there are indications the fire started in a car and then spread to three units of a townhouse.

All occupants were able to get out of the homes safely and no injuries were reported.

However, police say the damage is so extensive those people will not be able to return to their homes.

Police say it’s possible the fire was deliberately set.

“The scene’s been turned over to the Durham regional police for their investigation,” Bender said.

“It’s suspicious at this time due to the fact that we’re not really sure what happened and it’s a vehicle.”

Officers will be looking at camera footage from the complex to try to determine the events leading up to the fire.

 

Witnesses are being asked to come forward with any information.

Several other cars in the complex were vandalized overnight, including smashed windows.

Police are investigating if the vandalism is connected to the fire.

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