Police say they are investigating two suspicious fires that happened over the weekend in the northeast B.C. community of Fort Nelson, including one that caused an explosion that nearby residents said could be felt from several houses down and heard from several kilometres away.
The Northern Rockies RCMP said in a Monday news release that they received a report of a house fire at 12:25 a.m. Sunday in the 5300 block of Cottonwood Road. No one was injured, they said.
Lori Rich, who lives a few houses down from the scene, posted a photo showing huge flames and rising smoke to Facebook around an hour after that report.
She said Monday that she was just getting settled in bed when “a loud boom rattled” her house. Several bangs could also be heard in a video that she shot subsequently.
“I am sad for families who have lost more than a home,” Rich told CBC News via Facebook. “It’s everything in those homes … memories, cherished items, the shock that comes with the loss of everything you’ve worked for. There is more than one side of it.”
WATCH | Fire labelled suspicious by police destroys home:
RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire in Fort Nelson that destroyed one home and damaged others. Residents report hearing the sound of explosions from as far as five kilometres away.
Meanwhile, Duane Loe said he could hear an explosion from around five kilometres away.
Northern Rockies Fire & Rescue Chief James Child told CBC News Monday that the blaze is still under investigation, but the explosion was caused by exploding propane tanks. Child added that the fire one house was in flames, and two others were partially involved when firefighters arrived on the scene.
The second fire happened later on Sunday morning at an apparently unoccupied camper on the 5400 block of 48 Avenue, police said.
“Both fires are suspicious in nature, and investigators are working to determine if they are related, said Staff Sgt Kris Clark of the BC RCMP in the news release.
Police also urge anyone with information, surveillance video or dashcam footage from either fire to contact them at 250-774-2700.