VicPD have announced that a suspect has been arrested in the case of alleged arson that destroyed the Stadacona Park playground.
The fire incident occurred at around 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31st. According to Victoria Fire Department Chief Dan Atkinson, the blaze was knocked down and under control within 10 minutes of the first 911 call.
Following the fire, the case was handed off to VicPD’s Major Crime Unit, who considered the fire suspicious, and believed it to be human-caused.
According to the City of Victoria, the playground cost around $600,000 to build back in October 2023. The City is currently in talks with insurance providers to manage the Replacement of the burnt down playground.
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Evidence was collected from the scene, officers canvassed the area surrounding Stadacona Park for information and many came forward with tips for police throughout the past week, which led VicPD to making the arrest this week.
As of this publication, VicPD is liaising with the BC Prosecution Service for approval of charges and the suspect has been released with conditions.
No additional information is available as the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone who has information on the matter and hasn’t spoken with police are encouraged to call VicPD at (250) 995-7654, citing file number 26-12901.
