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New West police to help fire department investigate Pier Park blaze

Investigators are seeking assistance from anyone who may have information about the Westminster Pier Park fire – whether they know it or not.
Westminster Pier Park fire
Community members viewed the fire in Westminster Pier Park from the parkade - before it was closed by New Westminster Police. Police want to speak to anyone who was in the park Sunday night and may have information about the cause of the fire.

Investigators are seeking assistance from anyone who may have information about the Westminster Pier Park fire – whether they know it or not.

The New Westminster Police Department’s major crime unit has been called in to assist fire investigators in determining a cause for the fire, which began on the eastern side of Westminster Pier Park shortly before 8 p.m. on Sunday.

“We are just assisting the fire department at this stage,” said Sgt. Sanjay Kumar. “There is nothing to suggest that anything suspicious has happened at this point.”

Some of the investigators in the NWPD’s major crime unit previously worked as fire investigators with the department.

“Fire investigators will take the lead on this, and our major crime unit will be assisting them, in the sense if they come across anything, helping them with CCTV (video surveillance) or even fielding calls from the public that come in about the fire or how it might have started,” Kumar said. “We will be looking at any information about how it may have started.”

The fire, which started on the eastern end of Westminster Pier Park about 8 p.m. on Sunday night, caused considerable damage to a portion of the park. While firefighters have contained the blaze, it continues to burn.

“Our focus right now is to reach anyone that might have knowledge about the fire and just to come forward and talk to us, talk to our major crime unit,” Kumar said. “We would encourage people to come talk to us. Anyone that was down there last night would have good information for us – even if they don’t think it is important, our members might find it important.”

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact major crime unit investigators at 604-525-5411.