Fires at Montague town hall, Cavendish post office ruled accidental, says fire marshal

The provincial fire marshal's office has ruled three recent fires at commercial and public buildings on P.E.I. were accidental.

The fire that destroyed Montague Town hall on Aug. 2 originated in the mulch outside and ignited combustible material on the exterior of the building, a spokesperson told CBC News by email.

"The highest probabilitywas that the mulch was ignited by improperly discarded smoking materials, such as a cigarette butt. The mulch then ignited the exterior of the building."

Town hall sustained extreme fire, flame, smoke and water damage. The structure will soon be demolished, Mayor Richard Collins said last week.

The Green Gables Post Office in Cavendish caught fire on July 30. The damage was moderate, mostly to the exterior, with some damage to one room, the email said.

This fire was ruled accidental, with the most likely origin being an errant smoking material, like a cigarette, not being fully extinguished.

Meanwhile, an early fire on Saturday atthe Olde Forge County Kitchen in South Rustico, P.E.I., caused significant fire, smoke and water damage.

The fire has been attributed to a commercial dishwasher overheating and igniting nearby combustibles.

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