The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
How likely is it that the arsonists who have been plaguing Flin Flon in recent years are trying to kill innocent people? WeÕd all like to brush aside the question as overly dramatic, if not ridiculous. Surely the culprits behind incidents like last weekÕs $20,000 garage fire on Hudson Street donÕt have fatal intentions in mind, do they? Perhaps not, though who can say so with any certainty? Anyone who takes a match to someone elseÕs property Ð unless itÕs a young child who doesnÕt know better Ð is probably capable of anything. But even assuming that our arsonists are out only for a few thrills, intentions are only one part of the equation; actual consequences are another. Arson is still a fairly rare crime in our community, but itÕs one that requires the explicit attention of every Flin Flonner who cares about their own safety and that of their fellow citizens. In recent years arsonists have struck homes, an apartment, garages and even a training facility used by the fire department. TheyÕve sparked an array of bush fires and lit vehicles ablaze. Things got so bad two years ago that Fire Chief Jim Petrie went public with a warning for would-be arsonists: from now on, he would seek financial restitution from anyone found guilty of the crime. Some arsons are more dangerous than others, but the bottom line is that most have the potential to end lives. It doesnÕt take much for flames from a garage to consume a home, or for a bush fire to spread to the nearest neighbourhood. The potential for loss of life is greatest when arson occurs at night, as it often has, when the flames may go unnoticed for long periods of time. WeÕve all squirted some firestarter fluid on a campfire or watched a massive inferno on TV. Fire is an awesome force of nature. Everyone knows its immense power. ThatÕs what makes every incident of arson so troubling. Is it going to take the death of a sleeping child to wake up these perpetrators? We may very well be lucky such a tragedy has not yet occurred. Worst-case scenarios aside, we all pay for arson in one way or another. Financially, there are the insurance and firefighter costs. Emotionally, thereÕs the fear that our properties or the properties of those we love might be targeted next. Arson is a frightening crime that requires our vigilance. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity. DonÕt hesitate to call the RCMP. Know whoÕs in your neighbourhood. Because as long as people play with fire, some of us are going to get burnt. Local Angle runs Fridays.
