A 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection to a series of fires at Masonic Temples in Vancouver and North Vancouver Tuesday (March 30) morning.
Vancouver police said their investigation took them to Burnaby, where the man was arrested near North Fraser Way and Marine Way. Police will be recommending arson charges.
Fire crews and police responded to three fires at Masonic Temples in the region. The first was at the Lynn Valley Lodge located at 1371 Lynn Valley Road just before 6:45 a.m. The second fire broke out at the Duke of Connaught Lodge No. 64 (North Vancouver Masonic Centre) at 1142 Lonsdale Ave. Police said the building was fully engulfed.
The third happened in Vancouver itself, at the Park Lodge Masonic Hall at Rupert Street and East 29 Avenue. Assistant Fire Chief Mike Serada said the fire is being treated as suspicious but could not say whether it’s connected to the two earlier North Vancouver fires. No one was injured in the Vancouver fire.
“This investigation unfolded very quickly,” says Sgt. Peter DeVries of the North Vancouver RCMP. “We have a very good working relationship with our partners at Vancouver Police. By sharing information and coordinating our efforts we were able to move swiftly as new information became available.”
Mounties are asking anyone with video surveillance, or those who may have seen something suspicious between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to call police at 604-985-1311 or 604-717-2521. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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