A 42-year-old Sooke man was arrested Thursday after a fire at the Sooke Shelter.
Sooke RCMP say they were on their way to the Otter Point Road shelter after police were requested due to a resident “causing issues,” a media release said. RCMP officers were then told the resident was lighting things on fire in his living area.
Smoke could be seen coming from the shelter when officers arrived, and they started to help evacuate the building. RCMP officers and shelter staff made sure all the residents were accounted for before they attempted to put the fire out.
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No injuries were reported.
The suspect fled before officers arrived but was later located on a BC Transit bus leaving Sooke. The suspect was arrested for arson and taken into custody.
“This was a pretty dynamic and changing situation for the members involved,” said Staff Sgt. Brett Sinden, Sooke RCMP’s detachment commander. “They were initially called to a disturbance, arrived to see smoke and transitioned immediately to evacuating residents from the facility.”
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