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Police, fire department investigating ‘suspicious’ Langford house fire

The home’s three occupants escaped uninjured from the early morning fire
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Investigators work at a home on Rita Road in Langford that was heavily damaged in an early morning fire Friday (Nov. 26). (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

West Shore RCMP and Langford Fire Rescue are investigating a potentially suspicious early morning house fire that badly damaged a Langford home Friday (Nov. 26).

As of 9 a.m., the back of the home on Rita Road was heavily damaged, with large portions of the rear wall nothing but a charred hole. The entire home was surrounded by police tape.

At the scene Friday morning, RCMP Const. Alex Berube said that reports of the fire came in around 4 a.m.

“We are treating this fire as suspicious until proven otherwise,” he said. “Anytime there is a structure fire, we want to ensure we preserve any evidence we can retrieve from the scene before it is contaminated.”

At the time of the fire, three people were inside the home and all were able to escape without injuries. There was no immediate word as to whether they were displaced by the fire.

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Berube said it is believed to have started at the back of the home on the balcony. Fire and RCMP investigators were on the scene and out canvassing the neighbourhood for more information.

“We are asking anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious around 4 a.m. near Rita Road and Bray Avenue in Langford to contact the West Shore RCMP,” he said. “Even small details can be crucial to the investigation.”

West Shore RCMP can be reached at 250-474-2264.

READ MORE: James Bay residents pursue legal action, unable to return to their homes since October fire


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Justin Samanski-Langille

About the Author: Justin Samanski-Langille

I moved coast-to-coast to discover and share the stories of the West Shore, joining Black Press in 2021 after four years as a reporter in New Brunswick.
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