Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Chilliwack RCMP are investigating after three vehicles caught fire at a home in a Popkum neighbourhood east of Chilliwack. Popkum Fire Department, RCMP and BC Emergency Health Services were dispatched at approximately 2:30 a.m. early Tuesday morning (July 18) for the report of vehicles on fire. The home sustained damage to its siding. Chilliwack RCMP continue to investigate the incident. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

RCMP investigating car fire in Popkum

Chilliwack RCMP investigating three burned vehicles in driveway at Popkum home

Jul 18, 2023 | 10:24 AM

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack RCMP are investigating a case of arson after three vehicles in a driveway in Popkum were significantly burned.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, Upper Fraser Valley RCMP officers, together with the Agassiz and Popkum Fire Departments, responded to a 911 call reporting that three vehicles were on fire at a residence in the 10200 block of Royalwood Boulevard in Popkum.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that these fires were deliberately set and that this was a targeted incident,” says Sgt. Krista Vrolyk, media spokesperson for the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment. “It is extremely fortunate that fire crews were able to contain the fire to the vehicles and it did not spread to the nearby residence.”

Anyone with any information or surveillance footage capturing suspicious activity from Royalwood Boulevard or the nearby area between the hours of midnight and 3:30 am on Tuesday, July 18 is asked to call the Agassiz RCMP at 604-796-2211 and reference UFVRD file #2023-28798.

A single Upper Fraser Valley RCMP cruiser with a uniformed constable inside was still on scene in front of the home as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

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Yellow police tape has been strung around the vehicles while RCMP investigate.

There didn’t appear to be damage to neighbouring homes north or south of the impacted residence. Fraser Valley Today spoke with two neighbours about the incident, one of whom said that he heard a loud bang in the middle of the night. The two neighbours indicated the neighbourhood was quiet otherwise and incidents like this were completely out of the ordinary.

Mike.VandenBosch@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @MikeFVToday