Two of four horse barns at the Alberni District Fall Fairgrounds have been destroyed by a suspicious overnight fire.
The wooden barns were built to host the 1992 B.C. Summer Games, and have been home to seasonal horse shows during the fall fair as well as other events since then, including the RCMP Musical Ride. The barns were empty at the time of the fire.
Port Alberni Fire Department received a call about a structure fire near Vimy Road and Hollywood Street just before midnight on May 16. When they arrived at the fairgrounds, both barns were already fully engulfed, Chief Mike Owens said. Flames had also scorched the remaining two barns.
B次元官网网址淐rews worked hard to extinguish the fire and prevent further spread into the remaining horse barns,B次元官网网址� Owens said.
B次元官网网址淔ortunately there were no livestock being housed in these structures at the time.B次元官网网址� There were no injuries reported. Fire crews were on scene for just over two hours, and a security guard oversaw the site after that.
Fire investigators from the PAFD and RCMP sifted through the smoking wreckage on Tuesday morning (May 17), searching for answers as to how the fire started.
B次元官网网址淲e are treating the fire as suspicious at this time,B次元官网网址� Owens said.
Within the last two months there was another fire in the vicinity, past a nearby asphalt plant, when a tent structure burned. That was also labeled as suspicious, Owens said.
Scott Green, president of the Alberni District Fall Fair Association, said this is the second time in several months that a fire has destroyed a structure at the fairgrounds. In mid-December 2021 an office that was located close to the barns burned down.
B次元官网网址淭hese fires are not something thatB次元官网网址檚 just going to happen by themselves,B次元官网网址� he said.
Green was one of the people who helped build the barns 30 years ago. B次元官网网址淭he thing is, the hours we put into this, itB次元官网网址檚 all volunteer hours,B次元官网网址� he said, choking up. B次元官网网址淰arious groups built these buildings: Kinsmen Club, the Fall Fair, horse clubsB次元官网网址hen you see something like this happen, it really gets to you.B次元官网网址�
Green said the barns werenB次元官网网址檛 insured, because the Fall Fair Association is unable to get insurance for all of its buildings due to their age. B次元官网网址淲ith the way insurance is nowB次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檙e only allowed partial insurance on two of our buildings. WeB次元官网网址檙e stuck with the cost now.B次元官网网址�
He estimated with high lumber costs they may be looking at a $70,000 bill to replace the barns. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 money that we donB次元官网网址檛 have.B次元官网网址�
He said the board is already making arrangements to clean up the site, and a contractor that uses the fairgrounds has offered the use of equipment. The association is already planning for its annual fair Sept. 8B次元官网网址�11, 2022. In 2020B次元官网网址攚hich was supposed to be the 75th anniversaryB次元官网网址攖he fair went virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021 they held a combination virtual and trimmed-down in-person fair, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions.
With the fair looming, Green said the board doesnB次元官网网址檛 have time to look at replacing the barns this year. B次元官网网址淪omething like this may not get built again because we have no insurance for it.B次元官网网址�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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