Fire officials have finished the physical investigation at the scene of a suspicious fire in east Vancouver but are still working on tracking down more information.
The fire, which was reported around 6 p.m. Friday, destroyed a vacant commercial building at 12101 N.E. 28th St. in east Vancouver, causing at least $200,000 damage, Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said.
“We’re still interviewing witnesses and following up with tips from the tip line,” she said. “It just takes time to track people down and do the interviews.”
Scarpelli would not say what the physical investigation revealed.
Witnesses told investigators they saw men carrying what appeared to be a gas canister jump a fence near the building a few minutes before the fire broke out.
Vancouver police say they are looking for the following people of interest in the blaze:
n A white male, 16 to 17 years old, 5-foot-8 and weighing about 130 pounds, with dark hair in a buzz cut. He was last seen wearing a light-blue hooded sweatshirt, tan knee-length shorts and white shoes. He was holding a skateboard.
n A white male, 16 to 17 years old, 5-foot-9 to 6 feet tall, with brownish-blond, collar-length hair. He was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt, blue jeans and dark shoes. He was pushing a yellow-and-white mountain bike.
n A 16-year-old Hispanic male, 5-foot-7 and weighing about 140 pounds, with short black hair. On Friday, he was reportedly wearing knee-length white shorts, a light-blue T-shirt and a light-blue hat, and he was carrying a camera.
Officials are offering a $10,000 reward for assistance in the case.
Anyone with information regarding the three people of interest is asked to call the Vancouver Fire Arson team at 360-607-7991, or they can call 911 and ask for the on-duty Vancouver fire marshal.
