People on edge after 6 suspicious fires at abandoned buildings in New Annan, P.E.I.

Police in Prince Edward Island say they're stepping up patrols in the eastern part of Prince County after a string of six fires in the span of two weeks. 

All six of the fires occurred at abandoned homes and buildings around the New Annan area, just west of Kensington. 

P.E.I. RCMP thinks the incidents are connected, and they want residents in the area to be vigilant for any strange activity. 

"We are certainly looking at all angles of the investigation, which is now being carried [out] by our Major Crimes Unit," said Const. Kevn MacKay. "They are all being treated as suspicious and they are all being looked at very carefully." 

WATCH | RCMP investigating rash of fires in New Annan area of P.E.I.:

RCMP investigating rash of fires in New Annan area of P.E.I.

14 hours ago

Duration 1:56

Police are investigating a string of suspicious fires involving uninhabited buildings in central Prince Edward Island. Since the end of June, says RCMP Const. Kevin MacKay (shown), six fires have been lit at five different sites, and police are thinking they could be connected. CBC’s Tony Davis reports.

According to the RCMP, the timeline of the fires is as follows: 

• June 24 on Route 2 in New Annan.
• July 1 at two different properties on the Murphy Road in Clermont. 
• July 1, later in the afternoon, at the same location as the June 24 fire on Route 2 in New Annan. 
• July 8 on the Irishtown Road. 
• July 9 on the Soloman Gallant Road.

MacKay said Major Crime Unit investigators are being helped by members of the RCMP's General Investigation Section and Prince District Detachment, as well as the P.E.I. Fire Marshal's Office and Kensington's police and fire departments. 

Residents worried

Some residents in the area say they are worried about the series of fires, and what would happen if the flames spread to properties with people living on them. 

Joe Nicholson said his property borders on two of the fire sites, and he watched them burning from his backyard. 

"I understand it's just abandoned homes and it's probably better that they were gone anyway," he said. "But there's a way to do that where it doesn't risk property or even other people's lives — like the volunteer firefighters who have to go out and battle these things."

Police agree that fires at abandoned buildings pose a risk, not just for nearby property owners but also for first responders, many of whom are volunteers. 

MacKay said investigators have conducted several interviews, but on top of that, they are asking residents to comb through home security footage and report any suspicious activity to the RCMP.  

"I would ask residents in the area to be mindful of… individuals, whether it be on foot, whether it be in a vehicle, individuals who shouldn't be at a particular abandoned property," MacKay said. 

"Secure your own properties, whether it be your exterior buildings [or] your sheds."

Nicholson said he did notice a person in the area whom he considered to be acting in a suspicious manner, and provided that information to police. 

He hopes that whoever is setting the fires can be caught soon. 

"It would be really nice to have this person stopped," he said. "My fear is that if [they're] not stopped… it'll get worse."