FILE PHOTO - Crews watch as the remains of the Red Bridge smoulder Thusday, Sept. 19, 2024.

(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)

The future of the Red Bridge crossing in Kamloops has yet to be determined following its fiery collapse, but one political party has committed to its replacement.

The bridge's destruction came just as the writ was about to be dropped marking the start to the BC election campaign, and the BC Conservatives were quick to promise its replacement.

"There's a 100 per cent commitment to replace the crossing as fast as possible," BC Conservative candidate Peter Milobar told iNFOnews.ca.

Milobar, the sitting MLA formerly with the BC United party, said he and Kamloops-North Thompson BC Conservative candidate Ward Stamer spoke with party leader John Rustad about the matter soon after the arson fire Thursday morning.

"John Rustad was very fast back. There was no wavering and it was a very quick and emphatic 'yes,'" Milobar said.

The 88-year-old Red Bridge, the third structure at that particular crossing of the river between Tk'emlups reserve and the City Kamloops since 1887, collapsed in a massive blaze early Thursday morning, Sept. 19. Kamloops RCMP confirmed Friday it is being investigated as an arson.

READ MORE: 'Huge loss': Replacement of historic Kamloops Red Bridge destroyed by fire uncertain

BC NDP Transportation Minister Rob Fleming was less clear when iNFOnews.ca asked whether the government would commit to replacing a bridge for that crossing.

"We are working with other agencies on the immediate impacts resulting from the fire and to plan next steps for clean-up and restoration. However, once the full extent of the damage is known, we will sit down with the City of Kamloops and Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc to discuss long-term plans for the bridge to make sure people can get to where they need to go," he said in a written statement.

Officials for both the City and Tk'emlups will be pushing for a replacement to be built in the coming years, but it's too soon for either to suggest a timeline.

Milobar also couldn't say his party has a timeline for replacement.

"It wouldn't be realistic," he said. "The reality is there are a lot of technical things that need to be worked out. There's a lot of discussion that needs to happen with the Band and the City."

He said the Conservative's commitment is full-stop, but also acknowledged the need for buy-in from the City and Tk'emlups, while there will be extensive work done with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Kamloops mourns loss of beloved Red Bridge

Milobar, who was previously the Mayor of Kamloops, said there have been studies in the past looking at an eventual replacement of the bridge.

The City had once considered extended 6 Avenue from downtown over the CP Rail yard and onto an expanded bridge, while Tk'emlups has long sought an improvement that would meet the demand for drivers between Kamloops and the Mount Paul industrial park, along with pedestrians and cyclists who frequented the crossing.

The 6 Avenue design has since changed, with a protected bike lane added, and Milobar said it's not clear whether a direct downtown connection would work, but he said the loss of the bridge presents a chance to meet the demand of a growing population.

"The reality is it's an iconic loss, but let's not pretend for a second that I, Todd Stone, other elected officials in the city, and I'm assuming on the Tk'emlups side as well, weren't on the receiving end of repeated and constant complaints about the condition of the bridge," Milobar said.

The cleanup of what's left of the Red Bridge has involvement from both local governments and multiple other provincial and federal bodies, while Kamloops firefighters continued to douse hot spots on Friday.

Kamloops Fire Rescue was first on the scene around 3 a.m., Sept. 19. The bridge was fully engulfed in flames, and the first of three spans fell within minutes of the firefighters arrival.

READ MORE: Second Kamloops bridge fire destroys three spans

The fire is believed to have started in the middle of the bridge, and no fire damage occurred on land on either side of the South Thompson River.

“The investigation is still in its very early stages, but we do believe the Red Bridge was intentionally set on fire and we are treating it as arson, based on the information and evidence reviewed so far,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said in a news release Friday afternoon.

Aside from the update that the fire is now being investigated as an arson, after it had been called suspicious on Thursday by police, no additional information about the investigation was provided.

A witness showed iNFOnews.ca an abandoned jerry can and a motorcycle helmet about 200 metres from the bridge Thursday morning and wen on to say they witnessed a suspicious-looking man with a jerry can watching the fire. Police have not acknowledged that account or whether it's related to the arson investigation.

The fire was also the second in the same week after a smaller blaze on Sept. 17, burned support beams on the Tk'emlups side of the river. It was briefly closed so the damage could be assessed.

Police have not said whether that previous fire is believed to be criminal, but they are investigating whether or not it's related.

While cleanup crews determine what to do with the debris, the federal fisheries regulator said in a statement that the work can't disturb the fall salmon migration.

"The bridge has been in place for nearly 100 years and likely had preservatives within its materials. It can be expected that fire-affected material would increase the potential for the temporary release of deleterious substances into the water, therefore, DFO is working with (the transportation ministry) and First Nations to develop a plan that efficiently removes the materials while ensuring effects to fish and their habitat are minimized," the statement read.

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