Emergency crews rushed to the parking lot at Cariboo Memorial Complex late Wednesday evening after reports of a vehicle on fire.
Members of the Williams Lake Fire Dept. were quick to put out the blaze, however, the vehicle appeared to have extensive damage.
Fire crews were on scene for about half an hour, finishing up at about 10:50 p.m.
Williams Lake RCMP stayed on scene into the night to investigate the suspicious fire.
Officers, including the police dog services, combed the parking lot and nearby Boitanio Park for evidence.
Staff Sgt. Del Byron confirmed Thursday morning that police are continuing their investigation into the fire, noting the vehicle was a 2002 Nissan Externa.
Deputy Fire Chief Rob Warnock said the Williams Lake Fire Dept. responded to the fire at 10:20 p.m. with two apparatus and 12 members.
“When we arrived it was fully involved,” Warnock said of the fire, noting crews used water and foam to extinguish the flames. “We called the RCMP because it was suspicious.”
One witness told the Tribune the vehicle had been parked in the exact same spot for more than a week and the window behind the driver’s seat was missing and covered with a garbage bag.
It has been a fairly busy few days for the fire department.
On Tuesday there was a small fire at Tolko’s Soda Creek sawmill.
“They were doing some welding and a spark got away and caught fire,” Warnock said.
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“By the time we got there, their guys had done a great job. They had pulled the wall apart and we were able to get to it with the assistance of their crews.”
Later Tuesday, the crews responded to a residential fire alarm, and on Tuesday evening to a basement fire in a home on Midnight Drive that is still under investigation, Warnock added.
“Wednesday we also attended an MVI call near Save-on-Foods, but it was minor,” he added.
