Regina police are investigating a fire that damaged a condo unit in the Warehouse District on Thursday morning.
Security camera footage caught the start of the fire on-camera, and it’s causing suspicion about how that fire started.
In the video, a person entered the backyard of a condo in the 1300 block of Halifax Street carrying what appears to be a gasoline canister. That person walked to the back deck of the first-floor unit and appeared to light a fire. After the fire lighted with a small explosion, the person in the video ran away. The neighbour who posted the video said the person ran away down Eighth Avenue.
The Regina Police Service said it’s aware of the Facebook video, and that the fire is being treated as suspicious.
“We’ve been in contact with the building owner as recently as Friday, and we are aware of that and other evidence,” said Elizabeth Popowich of the Regina Police Service. “We’ve been gathering evidence in this investigation since the beginning and we’re going to continue to work with that evidence and other evidence to bring this investigation to a close.”
Joe Wollner, the owner of the condo unit involved in the fire, was not available for an interview. His lawyer, Tony Merchant, spoke to CTV News on Wollner’s behalf on Monday. According to Merchant, the owner is offering a substantial award for any information about the alleged suspect.
“He’s trying to help others and protect others,” Merchant said. “Not just himself, protect society, because here’s somebody doing something that involves (Wollner). What’s the motive? He’s in a position to try to help to see to it that it doesn’t happen. So, he’s really going to the public and saying ‘Help me to help Regina.’”
Merchant said the man renting the unit from Wollner was home at the time of the fire. He escaped without injury.
There is significant damage to the back deck of the first and second floor of the building.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 306-777-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
