What we know about the suspicious fires in Napanee and Stone Mills

A cluster of suspicious fires in the Napanee, Ont., area this week has left residents shaken and investigators working to root out who or what has been sparking them.

Ontario Provincial Police said two separate fires broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, which turned a community centre into a smouldering ruin and burned down a home garage a short drive away.

Then, roughly 48 hours later, a second garage was destroyed at a house just two doors down from the first garage fire.

OPP say they've increased patrols in response. Here's what we know so far.

Where and what was burned

Emergency crews were called to the Memorial Community Centre in Napanee around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 23 following reports it was ablaze. 

There were no injuries, but 20 homes around the site were evacuated, according to Greater Napanee Fire Chief Bill Hammond.

He estimated the cost to replace the building would be in the "millions."

At around the same time, a second fire was burning — this one at the garage of Carol and George McKinley on Curl Road in Stone Mills, which is about a 20-minute drive from the community centre.

Two days later, around 1:33 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to another garage fire on the same rural stretch of road.

It left the home of Karn Laursen and her family heavily damaged.

Police probing connections

Carol McKinley is the president of the Lennox Agricultural Society, which owns the now-damaged community centre.

OPP said they're aware of "links" between the first two fires and they're investigating.

McKinley said she's hoping police and the Office of the Fire Marshal, which is also investigating, are able to get some answers "as to the connections" between the incidents, but declined to say more.

"I just cannot believe that these two fires have happened," she added. "It's devastating."

Laursen said her family has no connection to the agricultural society beyond the fact McKinley is her neighbour. She and her neighbours are "very scared."

"I don't know why somebody would do this," Laursen said through tears on Wednesday. "We could have been seriously hurt or we could have died. My daughter's room is right next to that garage."

Both homeowners told reporters they each heard a loud bang before looking outside to see flames.

In a news release shared that same day, police said it's "unknown" if the second garage fire is related to the two incidents earlier in the week. All three are considered suspicious.

Shock and speculation

Officials in the area said residents are on edge, but they urge people to wait for investigators to complete their work.

"There's a lot of speculation inside the community and it's right from one end of the scale to the other," said Greater Napanee Mayor Terry Richardson.

"I think it's important that if anybody within the community has some information, to reach out to the Ontario Provincial Police."

Stone Mills Reeve John Wise said while the fires with connections to the agricultural society may seem "more than coincidental," it will be up to police and the fire marshal to determine what really happened.

He echoed Richardson's call to avoid speculation.

"We all hope that, if this is indeed more than a series of coincidences, that whatever individual or individuals out there who are perpetrating these apparent crimes are quickly arrested and brought to justice," said Wise.

The reeve was also struck by how shaken victims sounded during interviews after the fires.

"It's your home, and where you live with your family," he said. "Being attacked when you're in your most vulnerable situation, asleep in the middle of the night, it's hard to imagine a more disturbing event."

Communities rally as investigations continue

OPP Const. David Yome said police have boosted patrols in the area and have "all available resources" working on the fire investigations.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Fire Marshal said it continues to probe the cause and circumstances of all three fires and expected to wrap up the on-scene portion of their investigations this upcoming week.

The community centre in Napanee had a long history as an arena, roller rink and more recently home for pickleball players and the Sea Cadets.

Richardson described it as a "beloved place" as generations of residents walked through its doors.

The mayor said he anticipates the community will step up to help the agricultural society and the municipality is also willing to assist however it can.

A network of people in Stone Mills have already mobilized to help the McKinleys and Laursen's family to find clothes and short-term accommodations, according to Wise.

"There'll be help available for them in physical terms," said the reeve. "In emotional terms, I'm hoping that people close to them and their neighbours are giving them the kind of support that they need."