Coquitlam RCMP have collected more than 200 hours of video surveillance, but determining the cause of the fire that burned down a local elementary school could take months.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the fire at Hazel Trembath Elementary in Port Coquitlam, and Coquitlam RCMP say investigators have collected more than 200 hours of surveillance footage, conducted hundreds of witness statements and followed up on numerous tips from the community.
Media relations officer Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said fire crews remained on site for several days following the fire due to some hot spots and flare ups. That proved to be a challenge for the initial evidence collection of the fire scene.
It was in the early hours of Oct. 14 that emergency crews were called to Hazel Trembath Elementary School, located at 1278 Confederation Way, for reports of a fire. The fire ultimately engulfed the school and police deemed it suspicious.
READ MORE: Fire destroys Port Coquitlam elementary school; RCMP investigating
The day after the fire, Coquitlam RCMP urged people to avoid the area around the school as the fire had released hazardous particles into the air.
The school was unoccupied at the time and there were no reported injuries.
Operations support officer Insp. Darren Carr said the school site is no longer an active crime scene, but the investigation is ongoing. Police are still deeming the fire to be suspicious.
“What it can say in terms of the investigation, we’re assuming the worst in terms of the investigation.”
Carr said investigators are asking the public to come forward with an additional information, adding “there’s no such thing as bad information.”
“I think it’s pretty obvious as you look behind me at the devastation to the school. What isn’t as obvious is the devastation to staff at the school, students, the families and the broader community. The school is not just a place of learning, it’s a part of the community,” said Carr
Carr and Hodgins, along with School District 43 superintendent Patricia Gartland, provided an update Thursday (Oct. 14) outside of the burned-down school.
Gartland said it has been a “tragic loss” for the school district and wider community.
“As a school district, we wanted to ensure that we wrapped ourselves around these little children, in Kindergarten to Grade 5 and put them in a safe place as soon as we possibly could.”
Within eight days, the district managed to set up nearby Winslow Resource Centre – a professional development centre at the district – as a long-term, but temporary, school site.
Gartland said the community has raised more than $70,000 so far to help staff buy new supplies. Teachers have been providing staff with items needed.
– With files from Jane Skrypnek