Saanich Police are investigating after a fire gutted a vehicle in a residential neighbourhood on Christmas night.
A video of the blaze taken by a neighbour shows firemen running to the scene, working to put out flames that are as tall as the two-story house it sits next to.
The car belongs to Emily MacDonald, one of the two people who live in the home. She was relaxing last night after celebrating Christmas.
“At 12:30 a.m. this morning, my neighbour across the street banged on our door and said there’s a fire there,” said MacDonald.
Her neighbour across the street, Jas Mann-Birring, was putting leftover turkey away when she looked out her window and saw the flames.
“I yelled to my husband to come and take a look and call 911 while I ran downstairs to warn the neighbours and to get them out of the house,” said the concerned neighbour. “I got them out, they were quite frazzled because it was in the middle of the night, and I was banging on their door.”
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The car was ablaze in the driveway. The owners tried to douse the vehicle with a fire extinguisher and a garden hose but the flames too large to be tamed.
“They were just shooting way up, very very high, and there was smoke everywhere because of the stuff inside the car burning, it was a terrible smell,” said MacDonald.
She says the fire department quickly put out the blaze, but after chatting with her neighbours, believes the fire was no accident.
“There was dried twigs on top of the vehicle. Also, there was a van parked next to it and there was a gas cap open, and there were canisters scattered around. We were just definitely certain someone did it on purpose, someone took their time,” said Mann-Birring.
Saanich Police told CHEK News the fire is suspicious, and that they are investigating. On Saturday, officers were seen going door-to-door in the neighbourhood, trying to get some answers to this seemingly senseless act.
“It’s just such a shock on Christmas night that this would have happened, and you wonder why somebody chooses that night of all do that,” said MacDonald.
For now, MacDonald hopes this is the last of any suspicious activity in the neighbourhood and will try to enjoy the remainder of her holiday season.
Emily MacDonald’s Ford Taurus following a fire in Saanich on Christmas night. Saanich PD told CHEK News the fire is considered suspicious and that they are investigating. (Rebecca Lawrence/CHEK News)
What remains of Emily MacDonald’s Ford Taurus following a fire in Saanich on Christmas night. Saanich PD told CHEK News the fire is considered suspicious and that they are investigating. (Rebecca Lawrence/CHEK News)
Nearby neighbour Jas Mann-Birring, above, was putting leftover turkey away when she looked out her window and saw the flames coming from where the vehicle was. (Rebecca Lawrence/CHEK News)
Rebecca Lawrence
