Times-Chronicle Staff
A suspicious fire on Osoyoos Indian Band land in Oliver early this morning destroyed a small church on Nk’Mip Road.
Oliver Fire Department spokesman Rob Graham said the fire, which reduced the church to rubble, had been burning for some time when they arrived at approximately 3 a.m.
Graham said their primary concern was making sure the fire did not spread to the surrounding community. There was some minor spread to nearby brush, he noted.
There were no injuries to report.
Graham said no cause was determined but it was “suspicious” in nature. He referred to another church fire on Penticton Indian Band land early this morning.
Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a bittersweet proclamation as First Nations still mourn the loss of 215 children whose graves were discovered on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
