Fort Nelson house fire deemed not suspicious

After an investigation by the Northern Rockies RCMP, a house fire which occurred on October 11 in Fort Nelson has been deemed not suspicious.

Northern Rockies RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious fire on October 11, on the 4500 block of Nahanni Drive in Fort Nelson. Upon arrival, responders discovered that an abandoned residence was ablaze.

The property is often used as shelter by unhoused individuals at night. Northern Rockies Fire Rescue was on the scene quickly and extinguished the fire.

Northern Rockies RCMP launched an investigation in collaboration with Northern Rockies Fire Rescue, concluding that the fire was not suspicious.

There were no broken windows, no signs of forced entry, and no suspicious individuals were observed in the vicinity according to the media release.

It is believed that a small fire was ignited in the back bedroom for warmth and escalated uncontrollably due to the presence of numerous items in the home, including propane tanks and gas-powered equipment.

“Northern Rockies RCMP would like to thank all those who assisted in this investigation, especially Northern Rockies Fire Rescue,” says Cpl. Brett Urano RCMP spokesperson. “We are glad that there were not any injuries and that the property is now safe.”

Due to concerns about the structural integrity of the home and the potential risk to public safety, the building was demolished.