Fire on Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay ferry allegedly started by 16-year-old

CTV Vancouver's Pete Cline captured downtown Vancouver, the Gulf Islands, Howe Sound and more during a recent flight in Chopper 9. (Photos from April 2018)

A 16-year-old boy is accused of starting a fire in the washroom of a BC Ferries vessel Tuesday night.

Mounties with the Sidney/North Saanich detachment said in a news release Wednesday that they were called to the Swartz Bay terminal just after 8:30 p.m.

BC Ferries staff informed officers that someone had started a fire inside the washroom of a recently docked vessel.

Police boarded the ferry, arrested the teen and escorted him off without further incident, RCMP said.

A witness who was aboard the 7 p.m. sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay told CTV News the fire was set in a men's washroom on Deck 6 of the Spirit of British Columbia.

The whole deck was closed and passengers were asked to congregate on Deck 5, according to the witness, who said the vessel smelled of "burning plastic."

Vehicles were initially prevented from disembarking while crew members and Mounties investigated.

“The extent of the damage remains under investigation,” said Cpl. Alex Bérubé, in the release.

"The youth was later released and is set to appear in court at a later date."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Sidney/North Saanich RCMP at 250-656-3931, police said.