Coquitlam RCMP investigators are looking for any security video footage that may have been shot in the neighbourhoods where two suspicious fires occurred earlier this week.
One blaze torched a home on Larkin Avenue at around 11 p.m. Monday while a second fire destroyed an abandoned house on Kelly Avenue a few hours later. Police do not know if the two blazes are connected and are now trying to piece together what happened in the areas before the incidents.
“The investigation is still ongoing,” said Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jamie Chung. “We are requesting the help from people in the area who have CCTV cameras to look at their footage and see if there is anything suspicious.”
Several witnesses have come forward since Monday but investigators are hoping that more people will talk to police.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 15-40820 for the Larkin Avenue fire and 15-40832 for the Kelly Avenue fire.
Meanwhile, the Kelly Avenue building that burned has been demolished.
Port Coquitlam Fire Chief Nick Delmonico said there were initial reports that a person may have been in the basement at the time of the blaze and crews had to be careful taking apart the building. However, once the debris was hauled away, he was able to confirm that nobody was in the home at the time of the fire.
“We were very fortunate that we did not find anyone in the structure,” Delmonico said.
Both of the homes that were burned this week had a history of police issues.
RCMP were at the home on Kelly Avenue several weeks ago to deal with a reported shooting, while the home on Larkin Avenue had also had visits from police.
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