Clandestine drug lab discovered after flames put out at house in West Vancouver: police

A West Vancouver police cruiser is parked by the scene of a house fire and alleged discovery of a drug lab on March 9, 2022.

Police say a clandestine drug lab was discovered when the flames were extinguished at the scene of a West Vancouver house fire earlier this week.

Officers were called to the home on Crestwell Road early Monday morning as firefighters worked to put out the house fire. According to the West Vancouver Police Department, officers at the scene then found evidence to "suggest a possible clandestine lab inside the home."

A person in their 50s from Mission was taken into custody at the scene of the fire, and was later released pending a court appearance, police said in a news release.

No details on the suspect were made public.

Police said they obtained a search warrant and that it enabled them to confirm that the home had been used as a drug lab. They did not say how they were able to confirm it or what evidence was found at the site.

Police did say the scale of the lab has not been determined. It is still being dismantled, they said, but there is no current safety risk.

But they suggested the situation could have been dangerous.

"These types of labs can pose serious risk to not only members of the public but to first responders as well," WVPD Const. Kevin Goodmurphy said in the news release.

"Luckily no one was injured as a result of this fire."

Anyone with more information on the fire or the alleged lab is asked to contact police at 604-925-7300, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously.