A suspicious fire broke out early Wednesday in an empty house on Gibson Road in Chilliwack.
Chilliwack Fire Department and RCMP arson investigators were on-scene later in the day searching for clues in the 7200-block of Gibson Road.
"The reason why we believe it was a deliberately set fire is because a neighbour saw a couple of vehicles on the property around midnight the night before," said assistant fire chief Ian Josephson.
The residential home had been vacant for a few weeks, which makes the late-night visits suspicious.
Items found at the scene of the house fire are now part of the investigation, but the fire official said he can't divulge what they found until the investigation is complete.
"But it's clear it was not an accidental fire, and we're asking the public to come forward if they have any information or saw something."
Firefighters from Chilliwack firehalls 1, 2 and 4 responded at just after 8 a.m. and found heavy black smoke billowing from a vacant, single-storey house.
Firefighters put out the fire but not before the house was extensively damaged by flames and smoke.
There were no firefighter injuries.
Anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP at 604-792-4611 or anonymously through Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.chilliwackcrimestoppers.ca
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