City praises Fire Departments following Monday fire near Midday Valley Rd

The City of Merritt are praising the efforts of local firefighters and officials from the B.C. Wildfire service for limiting the amount of damage caused by an early morning fire near the old Tolko site off the Midday Valley Road on Monday.

Fire officials were called out to the blaze at approximately 2 a.m. on Monday morning and discovered two abandoned buildings completely engulfed and a third structure within the fire’s proximity.

The Merritt Fire Department was assisted by members of the Lower Nicola Fire Department and B.C. Wildfire Service to ensure the fire was contained to just the two fallen structures.

Meanwhile, Merritt RCMP continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

Staff Sergeant Josh Roda said in a press released that a witness observed a dark pickup truck pull up to the structures shortly before 2 a.m., then  a few minutes later, the structure was on fire and the pickup truck fled the scene at a high rate of speed.

Roda added that the RCMP would like to speak to the occupant of the pickup to determine what may have occurred.

Police are asking anyone with any information or any person or business that may have video of the dark pickup truck driving toward or away from the area to call the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262.