Damage caused by a Friday night fire in the women’s washroom at the Ross Street Plaza has closed the facility for a week.

Assistant fire chief Rod Macfarlane, who surveyed the blackened bathroom Monday, deemed the fire suspicious.

Salmon Arm Parks and Recreation foreman Brad Ackerman says a parks employee was downtown Friday night at about 10 p.m., when he noticed smoke emanating from the washroom.

Armed with keys, Dan Worland went to investigate and when he spotted the fire, filled a bucket with water in the mechanical room and doused the flames.

Worland called fire dispatch at 9:58 p.m. to advise the fire department that there had been a fire.

A duty crew from Hall 3 responded to make sure the fire was completely extinguished.

Ackerman says the fire did not burn overly hot, but was hot enough to cause smoke damage and to get behind plastic paneling to scorch the plywood.

A check with Salmon Arm Security owner Cyril Sukare revealed his company’s records show the washroom was locked at 8:07 p.m., almost two hours before the smoke was seen.

Macfarlane says it is difficult to know how long the fire had been burning because he had no idea how much material was available to fuel the fire.

“It seems unlikely there could be that much damage from an incidental fire – even a cigarette thrown into the paper towel dispenser,” he says. “The dispenser and waste basket were a puddle on floor, which was completely destroyed. It certainly is suspicious to us.”

Noting that finding the cause of fires is a science with a lot of variables, Macfarlane says he could not say for certain that the fire was deliberately set.

“We’re never sure unless we see somebody doing it,” he says.

But Ackerman says vandalism on the whole has increased in Salmon Arm and that the RCMP are investigating the incident.

“We’re concerned by the increase in vandalism in the downtown, the increase of willful damage to signs and graffiti,” he says. “The Ross Street restrooms were vandalized on Oct. 30th – spray painting on outside walls and the rear of the building.”

No other people were around at the time the fire was noticed, so no suspects have been identified, he says, pointing out that the City of Salmon Arm is nonetheless offering a reward of up to $1,000 “to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of offender(s) involved in this incident.

"Persons eligible for a reward are expected to co-operate with all law enforcement authorities responsible for the arrest and prosecution of an alleged offender."

Meanwhile, clean-up began Monday and Ackerman is hoping the city will be able to open the washroom by the end of the week, or early next week.

Ackerman was unable to establish the costs of the fire as he was awaiting an estimate for repairing the damage at press time.

Meanwhile, when the washroom re-opens, operating hours will be reduced from between 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

And the city is asking anyone who sees suspicious activity to dial 911 and report it to the RCMP.