A fire that broke out inside a second-floor rental unit on 100th Avenue, drew a large response from the Fort St. John Fire Department Thursday.
At around 6:00 p.m., fire crews responded to reports of black smoke coming from a window of the apartment directly above a commercial building at The Plaza.
Five fire trucks and 15 firefighters initiating an aggressive fire attack to bring the blaze under control, managing to extinguish the fire within 15 minutes.
No one was in the home at the time of the fire, but hydro and gas lines had to be shut off to the building during the emergency response. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout the night to conduct overhaul operations and ensure there were no remaining hotspots.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the RCMP has taken over the investigation. According to police, a potential suspect was seen fleeing the scene around the time the fire started. The suspect was apprehended without incident after additional front-line officers attended, and is currently in custody pending further investigation.
“The investigation is in the early stages but is believed to be an isolated incident, said Constable Chad Neustaeter, Fort St John RCMP Media Relations Officer.
RCMP remain on scene after securing the residence overnight in order to obtain a search warrant.
“The results of the search warrant and fire investigation will direct the course of the investigation,” said Neustaeter.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact the Fort St. John RCMP detachment or submit an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers.
No other injuries have been reported as a result of the fire.