Victoria police are hunting for a group seen fleeing a suspicious fire in Esquimalt’s Rockcrest park Tuesday.
Ron LaRoy, an off-duty Department of National Defence firefighter whose Rockheights property backs onto the park, raced with his fire extinguisher to one of two areas of dried brush ablaze in the secluded park and found a “brand-new Bic lighter” near the scene.
“I have every reason to believe it was intentional,” LaRoy said.
As firefighters hosed down the 300-square-foot brush fire, neighbours frantically watered their hedges bordering the park.
Richard Wong, at 1251 Highrock Ave., called emergency crews about 2:40 p.m. after he heard what he described as young people panicking then running from the park behind his house.
“Then I heard crackling and smelled smoke and dashed into the house to call 911,” Wong said. “I was just Johnny on the spot. So lucky. So lucky. It could have been a disaster.”
More than 20 large single-family homes back onto the park.
“Just imagine if this whole park caught fire,” Wong said.
Witnesses reported teenagers running from the area, said Victoria police Insp. Keith Lindner.
Lindner urged the teenagers to step forward and explain whether the fire was set accidentally or intentionally, which would make it a criminal act.
A lighter was given to police as potential evidence, said Asst. Fire Chief Gib Small.
About five firefighters from the Esquimalt fire department and an equal number from Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt arrived on scene within about three minutes, Small said.
“The potential was for this to spread to fences and eventually homes,” he said. The edge of the fire was just feet from the trees and fences that line residential backyards.
