Arson suspected in Kamloops, B.C., fire that destroyed Red Bridge

Kamloops RCMP say they are investigating the fire that destroyed the Red BridgeThursday as an arson.

The fire broke out in the earlymorning, fully engulfing the bridge before causing it to collapse into the South Thompson River.

"The investigation is still in its very early stages, but we do believe the Red Bridge was intentionally set on fire, and we are treating it as arson," Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said in a news release.

The 88-year-old wooden truss bridge connected the City of Kamloops with theTk'emlps Indian Band reserve and an industrial park across the South Thompson River. According to the City of Kamloops, the bridge was an important cultural site signifying the ties between the two communities.

The current bridge is the third wooden truss bridge at the site. According to the city, the first was built in 1887, then rebuilt once in 1912 and again in 1936. Since then, the bridge has servedas a key artery into the city. Two kilometres east of it,Highway 5 runs a parallel bridge across the river.

Kamloops Fire and Rescue told CBC News Thursday they were called to the bridgeat about 3:10 a.m. PT, where firefighters found the bridge already in flames. It collapsed into the river shortly afterwards. No injuries were reported.

WATCH | The Red Bridge collapses into the South Thompson River:

Red Bridge in Kamloops crashes into river after fire

2 days ago

Duration 0:21

Video taken by Kamloops, B.C., resident Nevada Woods shows the Red Bridge in flames collapsing into the South Thompson River around 4 a.m.. on Sept. 19, 2024.

The City of Kamloops is asking residents to stay away from the bridge and the river's edge downstream of the bridge, where there's a risk of falling or floating debris. The city closed Pioneer Park, Riverside Park, the Rivers Trail between the parks and all city boat launches.

"The Red Bridge was an important and historic part of our community's infrastructure; it is extremely disheartening to think that it was purposely destroyed," Pelley said.

Thursday's fire was the second fire on the bridge in two days. On Tuesday, at about 6:45 a.m. PT, police say a minor fire started on the bridge, which was temporarily closed. Pelley said it's not yetclear if the two fires are related.

Kamloops RCMP are working with fire investigators, Kamloops Fire Rescue,Tk'emlps Rural RCMP, the RCMP's General Investigations Support Team and Forensic Identification Unit.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity near the water orhave any information to contact Kamloops RCMP.

In an email to CBC News Thursday, B.C. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming said the ministry is workingto study the fire's impact on the bridgeand figure out plans to restore the area.

He addedonce the ministry understands the full extent of thedamage, it will sit down with the city and Tk'emlps te Secwpemcto decide if it will be rebuilt.

Ken Uzeloc, Kamloops' fire chief, told CBC News that parts of the bridge were still burning on Friday afternoon, as some of the pilings from the bridge were on fire in the river.

"The decking on the south side of the bridge that's remaining, it's fully burning in between the decking, between the asphalt and the substructure of the decking," he told CBC News. "So we're trying to hit it as best we can from down below on the beach."

Uzeloc said that there was a substance coating the bridge's wooden pilings that was making it difficult for firefighters to completely put the fire out, and he did not have an estimate for how long it would take to fully extinguish the blaze.