Damage from Virden fire pegged at $2.5M

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The fire that destroyed a hardware store and a seniors' residence in Virden was set deliberately, police say.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2012 (4953 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The fire that destroyed a hardware store and a seniors’ residence in Virden was set deliberately, police say.

Virden RCMP said this morning that they had determined that the Sunday morning fire was an arson, although they didn’t say how precisely they believe it was started.

They also say that damage is estimated at $2.5 million.

Steve Chinburg/For the Brandon Sun
Onlookers watch as flames engulf the True Value Hardware in Virden  on Sunday.
Steve Chinburg/For the Brandon Sun Onlookers watch as flames engulf the True Value Hardware in Virden on Sunday.

On Sunday, Virden’s fire chief, Brad Yochim, said that his department had to battle two fires at the same time — and it was the biggest they had dealt with in a long time.

When the fire department arrived shortly after 4 a.m., the back of True Value Hardware was on fire and a next-door seniors’ fourplex was also beginning to burn. There was a second fire at the town’s Bargain Store a block away.

Firefighters concentrated their efforts on the seniors’ residence, allowing everyone to escape unharmed, although they were unable to save the building.

The fire also knocked out power to much of the Virden downtown for hours.

Jillian Austin/Brandon Sun
Clothes can be seen hanging in the closet of one of the four residences that went up in flames early Sunday in Virden. The fire also destroyed the True Value Hardware store.
Jillian Austin/Brandon Sun Clothes can be seen hanging in the closet of one of the four residences that went up in flames early Sunday in Virden. The fire also destroyed the True Value Hardware store.
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