Arson
likely

‘
5

ause
of fire

Single mom and

kids left homeless

: By CHRISTIANA WIENS

A FIRE IN a Thormbeights trailer
park appears suspicious, say inves-
tigators of the early morning blaze
Aug. 23 that left a single mother
and her three children homeless.

+ “The investigation has
eliminated any other cause other
than that the fire has been
deliberately set,’? said Thornhill
fire chief Art Hill,

: The fire started between 8:05
am. and 8:35 am. — just after
Darcie Petuh left home to drop off
her three children at a sitter’s
house,

‘ Hill said the hall received calls
between 8:35 and 8:40 from two
neighbours who reporied smoke
seeping from the trailer.

‘ Firefighters arrived less than five
minutes later, bul, by the time they
extinguished the blaze, Petuh's

.
'
J
q
'

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 1, 1999 - A3

News In Brief

home was demolished,

‘T's  tota

“There’s only a tin shell left at the

back.”

Hill said unnatural bum patterns

and markings

trailer‘are part of the reason investli-

galors believe

Investigators wil] know more, he

said, when Ja

from Vancouver next month.
RCMP officers, working in con-

junction with

tioned but released a suspect in
comlection with the fire, said Sgt.

1

A WRITE OFF: Investigators believe the fire started
in‘the back bedroom of the trailer. The uninsured
trailer anc contents, estimated at $90,000, burned
s to the ground between 6:05 and 8:35 a.m, Monday,
» Aug. 23, RCMP are looking for witnesses who may.

« have seen suspicious activity In the area,

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4652 Lazelle Avenue,

Darcy Gollan.

Hled,”’ said Hill.

on the floor of the

bum pattem.”
ihe fire is suspicious.

b results arrive back

Gollan confirmed,
fire analysts, ques-

A THORNHILL woman and her three
school-aged chikdren are okay despite
losing everything they own in a fire last
week,

“T think we’re doing fine,”’ said Darcie
Petuh.

The single mother left home at 8:05 a.m.
Aug. 23, dropped her three children off at
daycare, and went to work at the airport
where she got a cail from a city official.

She got home in time to see everything
she owned go up insmoke,

“T went into shock,’’ said Petuh. ‘*] still
can’t believe I really have to start all over."’

She says her children, aged five, eight and
10, miss the family cat who died in the
blaze but are adjusting well.

“They want to camp out in the yard,’’ she
said, ‘‘It’s almost like Christmas here with
all the donated: loys: but ‘every ouce in a
while they remember something really spe-
cial.”

News of the fire sparked a neigbourhood
food, clothing and cash drive in aid of the

As of Friday, Aug. 27, no charges
related to arson had been laid,

“We're still in the investigation
stage,’’ said Gollan. ‘‘There are
other things that can cause that

But Petuh said she fears she, rath-
er than her home, was the target.

She went into hiding to ensure the
safety of herself and her children,

The uninsured trailer and con-
tents, estimated at $90,000, leave
Petuh and ber children without

clothes, food, cat and life-long pos-
Sessions.

The fire represents the area’s first
suspected arson in years,

“I's quite unusual,’’ said Hill
while trying to remember the arca’s
suspected arson, ,

“Less than 1 in 50 or 1 in 100 is
even close {fo suspicious,” he
added.

Gollan is requesting any wil-
nesses who saw unusual activity at
or near the upper Thornhill trailer
park carly Monday, Aug. 23 to im-
mediaicly notify the RCMP.

Donations pouring in to
help burned out family

devastated family.

And Petub appreciates the community ef-
fort,

‘All the help is unbelievable,”’ she said.
‘It means everything to me.”

So far, Petuh’s neighbour Brenda Lee O1-
son has received donations from a number
of banks, stores, churches and community
organizations,

“That’s been a boost to Darcie,” said Ol-
son, adding the family will take any form of
help they can get.

Donations have come in every form, in-
cluding clothing, school supplies and Cana-
dian Tire money, |

‘When you're replacing from pols and
pans. Canadian Tire is as good a place as
any to buy them,’’ said Olson.

Donations for Petuh and her family can
be ‘made either at the Terrace Women’s.
Resource Cenire, or by calling Brenda Lee
Olson at 638-6366.

Petuh is also looking for rental accom-
modation for herself and her three children,

Sealcoating stopped

REGIONAL DISTRICT board members are peeved
sealcoating on Hwy37 north ended abruptly this sum-
mer wilboul explanation froin bighways staff,

Just fast June, board members thanked highways
minister Harry Lali for work on the rugged highway.

But two months later, directors noticed work stopped
and signs announcing the project disappeared, leaving
diréctars to wonder what happened. -: -

““Why did we have signs up all summer saying your
tax dollars at work and why wasn’t any work done?”
questioned board chair Joanne Monaghan, .

The board voted ta write an urgent letter to Lali, re-
questing the scalébating be eoinpléicd as soon as pos-
sible, They'll also discuss the highway with Lali at an
upcoming Union of B.C, Municipalities meeting.

Economy to slowly grow

THE NORTHWEST economy should improve slow-
ly over the next 18 months, according to the projec-
tions from the Credit Union Central of B.C.

The analysis cites a forest industry tumaround, plus
approval of a three-fold increase in logging in the Cas-
Siar region, ;

“Harvesting this timber to its potential would be a
major ecanumic boost,”’ the report says,

The timber is more attractive because of higher lum-
ber prices, the report says, adding effects of the in-
crease in annual allowable cut there may show up in
late 1999, but will be more evident in 2000.

The big loss of jobs in this region took place between
mid-1997 and mid-1998, it adds. Employment in the
North Coast-Nechako region fell 10 per cent during
those 12 months, but has been relatively stable since.

Native TV channel starts

THE ABORIGINAL Peoples Television Network is
expected (a go on the air today.

Skeena Cablevision officials weren't yet sure as of
Jast week what channel il would appear on or which
‘cable systems in the northwest would carry it. ;

The new channel will carry programming by and
about aboriginal people, including documentaries, arts,
history, news and magazine-style programs.

Good for something

RAIN AND COLD weather this summer is good news
for northwest taxpayers.

The Northwest Fire Ceatre in Smithers recorded 99
fires this summer compared to 119 fires last year. Al-
most 4,560 hectares bumed this year — a fraction of
the 29,300 hectares thal burned last season.

Fire centre spokesperson Al McDonaid that translates
into a $4,783,957 for B,C. taxpayers.

“The rain keeps the fires down and keeps them
sinall,’’ he said. *‘And when you keep the fires small,
you keep the costs down.”

Lightuing caused 80 fires while only 19 of the fires
were sparked by human contact. McDonald says
nalural-to-human caused fire ratio usually sits closer ta

|] a 60-40 or 50-50 split and could well be influenced by

fewer campers willing to brave the wel Weather.

The northwest fire hazard has been low all swnmer
except for a few moderate days and a day or twa of
high ratings in drier areas of the north.

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