Information is trickling in about the recent house fire in Agassiz.
The fire, which razed a house at Canterbury and Sheffield Drive on the night of Dec. 7, was intense.
"I've never seen a house fire burn that quickly. Never, in the 25 years I've been here," says Wayne Dyer, Agassiz fire chief.
It burned so quickly, Dyer recalls the upper floor was completely gone within eight minutes. Now the Agassiz RCMP are working to gather information as they piece together what happened.
“There’s not a lot we can relay at this time,” says Cst. Ashley St. Germaine, media relations for the RCMP in the Upper Fraser Valley. But, she adds, “it is being treated as suspicious.”
Cst. Maisonneuve is a lead Agassiz RCMP investigator on the case. He is aware the public wants to know more about this fire, especially considering the size and force of the blaze.
“We spoke to some neighbours and they were fairly upset,” he says. “It was a big fire and the houses are so close.”
What they do know is that a gas vapour explosion preceded the fire and two males were seen running from the residence.
However, Cst. Maisonneuve says the public can help by submitting any video footage or photos they may have taken before, during or after the fire. The footage can help the RCMP put together a timeline for the events that night.
If you have any footage or any information that may help the Agassiz RCMP with this investigation, you are asked to phone 604-796-2211, or if you wish to remain anonymous, phone Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).