Arson suspect charged

Charges have now been laid in two early summer house fires in Castlegar.

On June 5, the Castlegar Fire Department and RCMP officers attended to a residential structure fire on Yew Street, which subsequently spread to a second home. Occupants of one of the houses were not home at the time, while occupants of the other were able to escape.

Both homes were destroyed as a result of the blaze.

“The criminal investigation determined the fire was a result of arson,” Sgt. Monty Taylor, Detachment Commander for the Castlegar RCMP stated. “Police identified and arrested a suspect who is believed to be responsible for starting the fire.”