Firebugs have caused major problems in the village in the past, and New Minas Fire Chief James Redmond says recent arsons at businesses are a cause for concern.
New Minas firefighters were called to a fire behind Wal-Mart just before 9 p.m. on Nov. 29. Bales of compressed cardboard were burning.
“This was arson,” Redmond said. “This was set.”
Firefighters investigated other locations and, around the same time, a fire was found burning in a garbage can behind a nearby car dealership. Redmond said this was also set deliberately.
“It certainly is a concern,” said Redmond.
Last month, there were four fires set in the village at around the same time one night, including one causing significant damage to the exterior of a building at Milne Court on Crescent Drive.
A few years ago, there was a major problem with fires being set at businesses and other locations, including one that burned down the building that housed Consignors on Crescent Drive and one that damaged the deck of a building at Lockhart and Ryan Memorial Park.
