A fire at a vacant and boarded-up building on Moose Jaw’s east end is being described as suspicious in nature after a call early Saturday morning. Moose Jaw Fire Department Chief Rod Montgomery says firefighters were dispatched to the 600 block of Fairford Street E around 6:30 a.m. Saturday. Upon their arrival at the structure, a former apartment building, crews found two small spot fires were located, which Montgomery says filled the building with a significant amount of smoke. Montgomery says firefighters discovered signs of forced entry at the rear of the building and located an individual inside. “Somebody had broken into the back side of the building and entered through there,” he said. “Firefighters found an individual hiding in a closet, and that was the person who was removed and taken to hospital.” In the news: Moose Jaw Co-op turns grocery trip into learning adventure for families Strong start to 2026 for Sask. oil and gas public offerings Saskatchewan launches new grant program to support rural police services Saskatchewan expands emergency strychnine access ahead of summer rollout ▶️ Stream this news story: 800 CHAB, Country 100, Mix 103 The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but officials are calling it suspicious. “It would appear that somebody started a couple fires there,” Montgomery said, noting the building had no heat or power at the time. The extent of damage was largely limited to smoke, as the structure already had significant prior damage. He added that crews were able to contain the fire quickly and left the scene within approximately two hours. The condition of the individual taken to hospital has not been released. However, Montgomery says the person was mobile prior to EMS arrival.