Campbell River RCMP arrested two people by Wednesday afternoon in connection with a suspicious house fire that destroyed a home at the Wei Wai Kum reserve on Tuesday morning.
The home was completely engulfed in flames when police arrived on-scene.
“Suspects in the incident were quickly identified,” said a media release from the Campbell River RCMP. “A female resident of the community was arrested in relation to the offence. She has subsequently been released as the investigation continues.”
“The fire was not random and is being treated as an arson,” the release said, adding that “a team of investigators has been assigned” and the investigation continues.
Later on Wednesday, Sgt. Troy Beauregard confirmed in an email that a second arrest had been made. Police later said the suspect is a male and is under investigation.
Material from exploding propane cylinders narrowly missed firefighters during the blaze, according to Campbell River Fire Chief Thomas Doherty.
“(T)here were multiple propane tanks venting and on fire, there were a number of explosions occurring,” Doherty said in an email. “There was one explosion that sent metal shrapnel flying, just missing myself and one other firefighter.”
A home at 2335 Henderson Ave. appears completely gutted after a fire that police have called suspicious. pic.twitter.com/SBKrF7Binc
— David Gordon Koch (@davidgordonkoch) June 25, 2019
No injuries were reported in the house fire at 2335 Henderson Ave. The building was fully involved when firefighters arrived around 9:20 a.m., Doherty said, shortly after firefighters quelled the blaze.
“We’re treating it as suspicious in nature at this point,” he said.
Flames spread to the vinyl siding of a neighbouring home, but firefighters were able to prevent it from spreading further.
“We were able to knock that down, save that home and protect the remaining homes on either side,” he said.
Firefighters are on the scene of a fire on the Wei Wai Kum reserve in Campbell River. Heavy smoke in the air. pic.twitter.com/pOEHSV1vKs
— David Gordon Koch (@davidgordonkoch) June 25, 2019
There were 17 firefighters and several fire trucks involved, Doherty said. Crews remained on-scene to watch for hot spots. Firefighters were also receiving health assessments.
To all, DO NOT drive over our fire hose. Our main water supply hose was run over at this mornings fire resulting in it being removed from service due to damage This was our critical water supply to our firefighters, today your actions jeopardized the safety of our firefighters
— Campbell River Fire (@RiverCityFire) June 26, 2019
CR firefighters battle another structure fire this morning. This one on Henderson Rd. No injuries reported. The cause is considered suspicious and under investigation. pic.twitter.com/WJicXn1BEC
— Campbell River Fire (@RiverCityFire) June 25, 2019
Insp. Jeff Preston, detachment commander for the Campbell River RCMP, said the fire was suspicious as he arrived on-scene.
Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts said he was grateful for the quick action by first responders and the response from residents.
“We’re a tight-knit community,” Roberts said. “When things like this happen, it involves or concerns a lot of people.”
He added he was thankful that neighbouring homes didn’t appear to be damaged and that no one was hurt.
A neighbour who declined to provide her full name said the vinyl siding on her home was “pretty melted” but that insurance would cover the expense.
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Markell Miller, who lives across the street, said his wife saw a man in the doorway of the house moments before the fire started. She was walking to work at the time, Miller said.
“He was doing something at the doorway there,” he said. “After he left, she (saw) a fire there.”
A home at 2335 Henderson Ave. appears completely gutted after a fire that police have called suspicious. pic.twitter.com/SBKrF7Binc
— David Gordon Koch (@davidgordonkoch) June 25, 2019
The man then knocked on the doors of both neighbouring homes after the fire was started, Miller said, but no one was home.
After knocking on the doors, the man “just booked it with his car and took off.”
Smoke from the fire was visible from miles away.
Melissa Lambert, who lives in the area, said she went to check on elders with respiratory issues after seeing heavy smoke billowing from the house. Several elders in the neighbourhood are on oxygen, she said.
“We just wanted to make sure their well-being was looked after,” said Lambert, a nurse with Kwakiutl District Council Health. “They were more panicked about what was going on and the situation in the community than their own health.”
A fire hose was damaged during the Tuesday morning operation, and the fire department issued a warning to motorists in a Twitter post.
“Our main water supply hose was run over at this morning’s fire, resulting in it being removed from service due to damage,” the post said. “This was our critical water supply to our firefighters, today your actions jeopardized the safety of our firefighters.”
This story was updated on June 27 with more details from the Campbell River RCMP.
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