The New Westminster Tennis Club’s clubhouse sustained “significant damage” in a suspicious fire on Thursday night that’s now being investigated by police.
Dustin Matson, an assistant fire chief with New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services, said crews were called to the tennis club in Tipperary Park at 10:26 p.m. on Feb. 20. When crews arrived at the scene, he said they could see flames and heavy smoke coming out of the first floor side of the building facing Royal Avenue.
The New Westminster Police Department’s major crime unit has taken the lead on the fire investigation and is working alongside its partners at the fire department.
“We are committed to finding out how it happened,” said NWPD Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “We’re asking anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward and help us piece together the events of that night. Your cooperation could be crucial to our investigation.”
Investigators urge residents and business owners in the immediate area to check their surveillance or dashcam footage, specifically between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m., for video evidence that may assist with the investigation.
Detectives are asking any witnesses who haven’t yet shared with police what they saw are asked to call the New Westminster Police Department major crime unit tip line at 604-529-2430 or send an email to [email protected].
According to Matson, firefighters initiated an exterior attack to knock down the flames; they then entered the building to do an interior attack and put out the rest of the fire.
“It was well done by the crews,” he said. “It was a quick knockdown and probably saved the structure as a whole.”
Matson said there was some “fairly significant damage” to the clubhouse. He estimated half of the structure sustained significant exterior damage, as well as some interior damage.
Matson said the fire was extinguished within about 20 minutes, but crews officially declared the fire out just after midnight.
“The crews got on it right away, and there was definitely a good chance that if we didn't get there, if we got delayed at all, the entire building would have been fully involved,” he said. “So, it was a good save.”
Matson said the fire was contained to the clubhouse structure and did not appear to damage the outdoor tennis courts. He said there were no occupants in the clubhouse or in the area around the facility when crews arrived.
“So, there was no injuries to anybody,” he said. “We didn't have any witnesses either, unfortunately.”
Matson said investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the fire and where it originated.
Isabella Li, assistant fire chief of community safety and technology, said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
“We do not know how long the restorative efforts will take as that assessment will need to wait until the fire investigation is complete,” she said in a statement to the Record.
On Friday morning, members of the New Westminster Police Department were also assisting at the scene.
“It’s routine for our partners at New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services ask us to assist with securing the scene until fencing can be put up,” said Hailey Finnigan, the New Westminster Police Department’s strategic communications coordinator.
The New Westminster Tennis Club, founded in the 1890s on Carnarvon Street, has been located at 305 Royal Ave. since 1901. A members’ only club, it provides its members with access to four tennis courts, leagues, and social events.
According to the City of New Westminster’s website, the club’s original courts and club house remained intact until 1982, when the historic clay courts were replaced with four hard-surfaced courts.
“Four years later, in 1986, the club house was renovated, and in 1988, lights were added to the courts,” said the website. “A new club house was built in 1996 to replace the original erected nearly 100 years before."
