Surveillance footage shows a man biking away from a fire after laying accelerant down on Feb. 16, 2022.
Image Credit: ARLO SECURITY/Julie Dodds
February 16, 2022 - 12:54 PM
Police are investigating a suspicious fire that engulfed a Kamloops home this morning.
Francine Robinson and her partner had each just left home for work this morning, Feb. 16, when a neighbour called and told them a fire had started in their car port.
Robinson turned around once she heard and was shocked when driving down Westsyde Road she saw smoke billowing into the sky, knowing it came from her home.
"Things are coming to the realization stage — where you realize all the things you're gonna miss," she said, now safely at her daughter's home.
Their home was destroyed in the fire at Warren's Mobile Home Park, and it damaged a neighbour's home too. While no one was injured in the blaze, Robinson's cat Leeloo died in the blaze.
Surveillance footage posted to social media shows a man on a bicycle spraying what could be an accelerant under a car port at the home, then flee after the fire is set.
"My hope is that somebody will realize they know and they will be able to help find this person," Robinson told iNFOnews.ca.
She believes the fire was set with malicious intent, which was a shock, but she was not surprised to learn that someone would be in the carport.
Robinson's daughter posted the surveillance footage to Facebook hoping someone can identify the person for RCMP.
"Kamloops we need your help. This morning this person deliberately set my mom's... house on fire," Julie Dodds wrote in a Facebook post showing the surveillance footage.
Police attended the Westsyde Road home around 9:30 a.m. today after firefighters were already at the scene, Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Const. Crystal Evelyn said.
"A house fire is traumatizing, devastating and horrible all in its own. But that someone chooses to do that to you is even worse. Please look closely and if you have any information on who this is please call the police or let us know somehow. The links are the video footage of him actually spraying an accelerant and setting a fire," Dodd's social media post reads.
Const. Evelyn said a police fire investigator and a forensic identification team are on the scene and the fire has been deemed "suspicious." Evelyn could not confirm whether there is a current suspect or if it is an active arson investigation, but investigators continued to work at the scene into the afternoon and she expects more information will become available.
Firefighters responded to the call just before 8 a.m. today, Feb. 16.
Life safety educator for Kamloops Fire Rescue, Jeff Pont, said at least three trucks responded to the fire, where Robinson's home was "fully involved" and the second home took smoke and water damage.
Anyone with information that can assist RCMP in their investigation are asked to call the local detachment at 250-828-3000.
— This story was updated at 1:28 p.m., Feb. 16, 2022, with comments from Francine Robinson.
— This story was updated at 1:53 p.m., Feb. 16, 2022, with information from Kamloops Fire Rescue.
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