Neighbours watch as firefighters put out a fire in the mobile home next door to one that burned to the ground hours earlier at Cultus Lake Village on Thursday. (Jenna Hauck/The Progress)

Neighbours watch as firefighters put out a fire in the mobile home next door to one that burned to the ground hours earlier at Cultus Lake Village on Thursday. (Jenna Hauck/The Progress)

Suspicious fire destroys two trailers at Cultus Lake mobile home park

One 42-year-old male in custody arrested nearby at 1:30 a.m. on June 12

  • Jun. 13, 2019 12:00 a.m.

One man is in custody after a suspicious overnight fire destroyed two trailers and damaged two others in a mobile home park at Cultus Lake Park in the early hours Thursday.

The occupant of the home destroyed at Cultus Lake Village was in a motorized wheelchair but managed to escaped uninjured. Neighbours on the scene said more than one dog got out safely, but at least one cat and some birds possibly perished.

Chilliwack RCMP received a report of the mobile home on fire in the 3900-block of Columbia Valley Road at approximately 12:30 a.m. on June 13. On arrival they found firefighters engaged in fighting the fire.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mike Rail said they identified a suspect and at around 1:30 a.m. he was taken in to custody with the help of the Lower Mainland Police Dog Service. Facing possible charges is a 42-year-old unnamed male who remains in custody.

The Chilliwack Serious Crimes Unit is investigating the cause of the fire, and by 10 a.m. on Thursday the area remained cordoned off.

“It’s very, very fortunate that nobody was injured,” Cpl. Rail said. “No emergency personnel were injured and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.”

Fire crews reported that Emergency Social Services arrived on the scene at 3:45 a.m. and anyone who needed help and housing was taken care of by 4:12 a.m.

• RELATED: Suspicious fire guts house where man was killed

• RELATED: Pair of vacant house fires deemed suspicious in downtown Chilliwack


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