Four cars torched, damage tallied at $100,000 in early-morning arson in Nanaimo

NANAIMO, B.C. – Seven people are safe but damage from an early morning arson in Nanaimo, B.C., is tallied at around $100,000.

RCMP say a deliberately set blaze destroyed four cars, a hedge and damaged the siding of a neighbouring home in the minutes after it was set at about 3 a.m., Thursday.

Police in the Vancouver Island city report the seven people were able to get out of the nearby home safely and will remain out of the house while the fire is under investigation.

Officers are now appealing for information from anyone who may have heard or seen anything unusual just before the flames were reported in the residential neighbourhood overlooking Departure Bay.

Const. Gary O’Brien says an active investigation is underway but no arrests have been made.

Police in Greater Victoria and Vernon, B.C., are involved in unrelated arson investigations, with a series of deliberately set fires reported around the B.C. capital and the Okanagan city since May.