Port Moody police are looking for witnesses, as well as anyone with dashcam footage or closed-circuit security video in the area of Henry and Moody streets early Sunday morning, where two vacant homes under construction were destroyed by a fire.
Const. Sam Zacharias, of the Port Moody Police Department, said “it is suspected the fire was human-caused” and the department’s major crimes section has taken charge of the investigation, along with Port Moody Fire Rescue’s (PMFR) investigator.
He added police are interested in any activity in the area between midnight and 3 a.m., when the fire started.
In addition to the two homes that were nearing completion but not yet “locked down” with all windows and doors installed, the fire damaged two associated coach homes, melted siding on a nearby house and damaged a hydro pole and transformer.
Power in the surrounding neighbourhood was cut for several hours, forcing St. Joseph’s Parish Catholic Church to hold its three services on Sunday by candlelight.
PMFR chief Ron Coulson said his department received the call at 3:05 a.m.
Upon arrival, he said the structures were fully ablaze and a second alarm was called.
Coulson said 16 firefighters plus support staff battled the conflagration and managed to knock it down in about an hour, although crews remained through Sunday to monitor for hotspots.
He said drizzly weather overnight and through the next day prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby homes.
Nobody was hurt.
