Arson charges laid in downtown business fire
Landon Hickok- 0
- 2 minutes read
ORIGINAL POST – MARCH 9: A fire has damaged the building hosting the Wooden Shoe European Food Store and Andrew Hilton Wine Merchants in Lethbridge, forcing each business to temporarily close. Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services says this incident is one of several cases under investigation and is stressing the importance of fire prevention measures. BCN’s Landon Hickok has the story.
UPDATE – MARCH 11: Lethbridge Police have charged a 51-year-old male with arson in connection with a fire that caused significant damage to two downtown businesses.
Early on the morning at approximately 4am on March 8th, an officer on patrol noted a heavy smell of smoke and located a fire at the back of the Wooden Shoe European Food Store and Andrew Hilton building along the 200 block of 3 Avenue South. Police evacuated the nearby youth shelter as a precaution over high winds and the potential for the fire to spread to the shelter. The fire department was called and the fire was extinguished but not before Both businesses were damaged to the tune of about $700,000.
Police say after interviewing three subjects who were at the scene and an extensive review of CCTV footage, it was determined the fire started within an encampment that had been located at the rear of the businesses.
Police say 51-year-old Harvey John Sweetgrass of Lethbridge is charged with two counts of arson to property. Sweetgrass is currently in custody awaiting a Judicial Interim Release hearing.
