'Devastating': Store owner speaks out after brand new business goes up in flames

The Vault Cannabis in Teulon burned down on Oct. 1, 2024. (Tim Mulvena)

One of the owners of a brand new shop in Teulon, Man., is asking anyone with information to contact police after the business burned down.

“It’s a pretty devastating thing to happen,” said Tim Mulvena, one of the owners of The Vault Cannabis Ltd.

The fire took place at around 4:10 a.m. on Tuesday – less than a week after the shop first opened on Sept. 25.

According to RCMP, once the fire was extinguished, a burned-out vehicle was located inside The Vault Cannabis. Police determined the vehicle had been stolen from a home in the RM of East St. Paul.

Mulvena noted it’s suspected that the car was driven through the front doors of the building where it caught fire. It’s unknown at this point whether the car was lit on fire or went up in flames after it was driven into the building.

“It still hasn’t sunk in,” he said.

“It’s still kind of unbelievable because you don’t imagine something like this happening, especially [since] it’s a brand new business.”

Mulvena said a lot of work went into getting the store up and running, adding that they went through a few public hearings to get it approved.

He noted they also put money into the creation of a mural for the interior of the store and had plans for more art.

“We had plans for [the artist] to do an exterior mural there, as well, for the community,” he said. “But obviously, that’s gone.”

Now, Mulvena is asking the public to provide any information they may have to the RCMP.