Suspicious barn fire investigated in Otonabee-South Monaghan

STEWART HALL — A barn fire early Monday morning near Stewart

Hall in Otonabee-South Monaghan Township has been deemed suspicious and is under investigation by Peterborough County OPP and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office.

It’s the second fire this month at the property, owned by the Peterborough Airport.

Firefighters from four stations were called to the fire around 2 a.m. Monday on Greenwood Road near Stewart Hall, southest of Peterborough, and arrived to find the barn fully ablaze.

“This is the second fire at this location in a week-and-a-half,” Otonabee-South Monaghan Township fire Chief Ted Bryan said at the scene.

“We’ve called the Fire Marshal’s office and the OPP are on scene. It is a suspicious fire at this time until we can prove otherwise.

“There’s no electricity going to any of the buildings, there’s no apparent reason why they should catch fire.”

Both the barn from Monday morning’s fire and the building burned in the previous fire were vacant and under demolition, he said.

Peterborough County OPP secured the scene while the investigation continues.

Anyone with information about the fire can call Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401, the OPP communications centre at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.