COQUITLAM RCMP said on Thursday that they are still investigating the suspicious fire at Hazel Trembath Elementary School in Port Coquitlam. Police continue to ask the public for assistance in providing information and video to investigators.

On Saturday, October 14 at 3:17 a.m., Coquitlam RCMP frontline officers responded to a structure fire at the school located at 1278 Confederation Drive in Port Coquitlam. The fire had fully engulfed the school by the time emergency personnel arrived.

The Port Coquitlam Fire department remained on scene for several days battling the fire. The fire smoldered under the rubble resulting in hot spots and fire flare ups which was a challenge during the initial evidence collection. Police advised the public to avoid attending the area for several days as the air quality was hazardous.

Once the fire was extinguished, fire investigators were able to safely examine the damage, collect evidence and conduct a proper scene assessment. The initial scene examination took several days because of the large area involved, police said.

“We are continuing to treat this fire investigation as a criminal investigation, until proven otherwise,” said Inspector Darren Carr, Officer in Charge of Coquitlam RCMP’s General Investigation Team. “We understand the tremendous impact the loss of the school has had on the community and the urge to speculate on the cause. Our investigators are working tirelessly to comb through all the evidence and follow up on every investigational avenue to determine the truth.”