Investigators are trying to piece together what caused a fire at a Coquitlam home where a smart meter was installed one month earlier.
The flames appear to have started around where the meter was located but BC Hydro officials said it not clear that there is any connection between the fire and the device.
BC Hydro spokesperson Cindy Verschoor told CTV smart meters are safe and that inspections are carried out before the devices are installed.
"In the vast majority of cases, we actually find problems when we actually pull the old meter off," she said. "It's extremely rare that there is any kind of incident after a meter is installed."
The Crown corporation also says it has repaired about 1,000 meter bases around the province.
In June, a fire began at a home in Mission where a smart meter had recently been installed. BC Hydro says the BC Safety Authority is investigating that blaze.
Mission Fire/Rescue Chief Ian Fitzpatrick said at the time that the flames originated where the housing for the smart meter sits on the side of the house but said it did not appear the smart meter was the cause of the fire.
The incident is still under investigation.
