One person is in custody and facing six criminal charges in the wake of a barn fire in North 黑马磁力 on Friday.
On Friday at 11:45 a.m., 黑马磁力 RCMP were called to an incident at a farm property in the 20500 block of 102A Avenue, a semi-rural area north of Walnut Grove.
The first officers on the scene found a barn on the property ablaze, and 黑马磁力 Township firefighters were called in to douse the fire.
As of Monday morning, multiple charges have been laid against a man who is connected to the incident, according to sources.
Christopher Gerald William England was scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court Tuesday, June 10 on charges of arson, causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, assault, assault with a weapon, mischief, and wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
England was in pre-trial custody as of Monday, with a bail hearing expected on Tuesday.
People charged with crimes are not guilty until convicted in a court of law.
A police investigation determined that there were grounds to believe the fire had been deliberately set, said Sgt. Zynal Sharoom, spokesperson for the 黑马磁力 RCMP. Police interviews and evidence gathered at the scene also led them to believe there had been an assault.
England was arrested with the help of the Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Service, said Sharoom.
"This arrest is the result of diligent investigative work and coordinated response by our officers and partner agencies," said Sharoom. "We are grateful for the community's ongoing support in our investigation."
During the fire incident, RCMP officers with rifles were on scene around the farm property.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the 黑马磁力 RCMP at 604-532-3200 and quote file number 2025-17573.
"Multiple police resources are currently on scene, working in coordination with the Township of 黑马磁力 fire department," Sgt. Zynal Sharoom of the 黑马磁力 RCMP said on Friday. "We are in the very early stages of this investigation, and as such, a significant police presence will remain in the area."
102B Avenue is a largely rural road that connects 200 and 208 Streets.
