A fire at a Scotch Creek residence is being investigated as an act of arson after police noticed two points of ignition.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 10, Chase RCMP responded to a call which reported lights could be seen from within the supposedly abandoned residence on Hilliam Road. Upon arrival the lights were coming from solar powered garden lights from within the building. As the RCMP walked around the residence, they discovered the back of the building was on fire.
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Fire crews from the Scotch Creek fire department as well as the Celista fire department arrived and promptly extinguished the fire.
After the fire was put out, RCMP officers found the cause of the fire to be suspicious. Signs of ignition were seen underneath the building on the exterior but failed to catch fire, although fire had started in a closet in the interior of the house.
“It appears that some clothing was burnt up but definitely with multiple points of ignition and this points towards intentionally set fire.” said Sean Coubrough, Fire Services Coordinator for the CSRD.
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The fire was started at the same residence involved in a previous incident which took place on Sept. 7 where Chase RCMP responded to a report of shots being fired from the residence directed at a group of people who had the intention of confronting its occupants about stolen property.
The Chase RCMP Detachment is concerned the attempted burning of the building is an escalation of the conflict between a group of local residents and the previous occupants of the house.
In a release from the Chase RCMP they state the detachment does not condone vigilantism and recommend the public leave investigations to the police.
Since Saturday’s events RCMP have noticed ‘no trespassing’ signs erected in front of the property. So far police are unclear if the signs were put there by neighbours or people on the property.
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The residence had been known to police before the events of Sept. 7 though. A previous file involving the property involved a makeshift system to siphon electrical power from BC Hydro but the hydro company has since disconnected power to the residence entirely.
Chase RCMP is asking that anyone with any information regarding this investigation, or any other crime, to contact the Chase Detachment at (250) 679-3221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
@CameronJHT
Cameron.thomson@saobserver.net
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