SURREY Police Service (SPS) is investigating a suspicious overnight fire in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood that has left two vehicles and one home damaged, and several residents displaced.

Shortly before 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, SPS Frontline officers responded to reports from a resident in the 13400-block of 64 Avenue that a house on his street was on fire. Officers quickly arrived and encountered two vehicles and the front of a house on fire and active explosions happening.

Residents of a basement suite were able to safely be evacuated but officers were advised about two upstairs residents. Officers ran to the back of the house that was quickly becoming engulfed in flames and managed to crawl through a small opening in a glass door they were able to break.

Despite the house quickly filling with smoke and seeing the fire grow larger at the front of the house, officers searched the upper floor of the house and located two elderly residents. One of the residents was able to be escorted out the rear of the house, but the other had to be carried out by both officers. As the second officer ran back in the rear of the burning house to look for more residents, Surrey Fire Service firefighters had arrived and were able to enter through the front.

A total of eight people were evacuated from the residence by police. All were treated on scene by BCEHS for smoke inhalation, but it is not believed that anyone suffered any injuries, police said.

SPS and Surrey Fire Service arson investigators will be returning to continue the investigation to determine the cause; however, at this early stage it is believed that the fire is suspicious and targeted. Two suspects, both believed to be male, were seen at the front of the residence near the vehicles at the time the fire is believed to have started at approximately 1:38 a.m. Two dark-coloured sedans were seen driving away southbound on 134A Street.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the fire or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage and were in the area of the 13400-block of 64 Avenue at approximately 1:30 a.m. on June 11, to contact Surrey Police Services non-emergency line at 604-599-0502 and quote file 25-47853 (SP) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.