New Westminster police remain on guard at McKenzie and Columbia streets, standing over the decimated site where a fire destroyed two New Westminster heritage buildings last week.
Along with the New Westminster fire department, investigators and detectives from the police force’s major crime and forensic identification units continue to collect evidence, hoping to find the cause of such a destructive fire.
“They do not know the cause of the fire, so right now they’re collecting exhibits, … to examine the scene and see if they can determine the cause,” said Sgt. Diana McDaniel. “Until they do that we can’t speculate on anything at all.”
Detectives from the department’s major crime unit are leading the investigation with the help of the fire department. The forensic identification unit is conducting any forensic work needed to determine what happened on Oct. 10, and why.
New Westminster firefighters were called to the scene of a blaze at 638 Columbia St. last Thursday morning. By the afternoon, two buildings, including the Crescent Block, home of the historic Copp’s Shoes, were gone.
Police will continue to stand watch over the site to ensure no evidence is removed or tampered with.
“Until they get to a point in the investigation where they don’t need it (the guard), it will continue to be guarded. It’s just for the evidentiary purposes more than anything,” McDaniel added.
