Neighbour who put out East Vancouver blaze with garden hose now searching for suspect
Adrian thought the yelling coming from the lane behind his home last Wednesday morning was bizarre.
It was just before 6 a.m., and he wasn’t even fully awake.
“I ran to the back deck and looked out my back window, and I immediately saw smoke rising from my alley,” he said.
A neighbour who had driven up on the blaze, which appeared to have been sparked in a box of donated items at the base of a hydro poll near East 20th Avenue and Renfrew Street, had tried to put it out with his flask of coffee.
Adrian went for the garden hose.
Firefighters showed up minutes later.
But it wasn’t until Adrian and other neighbours checked their home surveillance cameras that they realized the arsonist had been caught in the act.
“(We) just had this beautiful shot of him actually doing it,” Adrian said.
He asked that his last name not be used over concerns he could face retaliation.
A neighbour, who gave her first name as Luna, confirmed her family’s laneway camera had recorded a clear frontal view of the suspect as he approached the crime scene.
Other video provided by neighbours shows the man, wearing a black and white tracksuit, white sneakers, and walking with a distinctive gait, stop and crouch down near the box, then after a few moments, walk away.
Within seconds, video shows a plume of a smoke growing from the box. And moments later, full on flames.
Luna told CTV News she was shocked.
"Everybody’s very nice, a very peaceful neighbourhood,” she said, adding that a community centre, park, and school are just steps away.
“I dont know what happened. Why people set fire randomly,” Lunda said.
Vancouver Police confirmed to CTV News they are investigating the blaze, with no arrests made or suspects identified.
“We are reviewing the circumstances, including the location, suspect description, and MO to determine if this has links to any similar incidents in the area,” wrote Sgt. Steve Addison.
VPD also noted that this year, as of June 13, there have been 160 “incidents” related to arson, about the same number for the same period last year.
Adrian, who said he had spoken with fire investigators, edited together video from different neighbours’ cameras and uploaded it to YouTube.
“If there’s something I can do to hopefully create a better sense of safety around my neighbourhood, that’s the only goal really,” Adrian said.
“Big fires start as small fires, and luckily we caught ours,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.