Suspicious early morning fire at River’s Edge Apartments in Revelstoke’s Farwell neighbourhood

Residents of River’s Edge Apartments are hailing the fast action of a building manager, who banged on residents’ doors and used a fire extinguisher to hold back a fire in a vacant apartment in the building.

The incident happened at around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28 at the Farwell apartment, which has been in the news this year due to a problematic BC Housing-led renovation. Residents have complained about lack of communication from BC Housing, disturbances, COVID-19 protocols being ignored, ongoing drug dealing, ongoing hazardous materials mitigation, and security concerns about insecure doors and strangers coming and going.

River’s Edge: ‘Nightmare’ BC Housing-led renovation leaves residents exasperated

The Revelstoke RCMP is now calling the River’s Edge Apartments fire suspicious.

Police have said the fire was in an “insecure unit.” The unit was under renovation.

In a statement, Kelowna-based RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey said that Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services called police with a request for assistance at River’s Edge at 12:41 a.m.

“Preliminary findings at the fire scene suggest that the blaze is suspicious in nature and may have been deliberately set,” Cpl. O’Donaghey stated. “Quick thinking and acting residents not only alerted other building tenants to the situation, but ensured proper evacuations and utilized fire extinguishers to prevent the fire from spreading. RCMP has not received any reports of injuries.”

River’s Edge resident Keri Harrison told revelstokemountaineer.com that construction worker Darko Golic roused sleeping residents by banging on doors, and grabbed a fire extinguisher from the hallway and suppressed the fire in the vacant apartment.

She also said that building manager Matt Johnston also helped Golic notify residents by banging on doors and informing them of the danger.

Police are now calling the location of the fire a potential crime scene and are bringing in forensic specialists to investigate and gather evidence for an ongoing police investigation.

Second fire in Farwell neighbourhood in a week

The blaze is the second fire in Revelstoke’s Lower Town neighbourhood in the past week. On Saturday morning, a fire on Douglas Street near the Big Eddy Bridge tragically claimed the life of Sonya Riome.

Tragic death in weekend house fire in Revelstoke’s Farwell neighbourhood

Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services has provided a brief statement about the fatal Saturday, October 28 fire. Here it is:

An October 27 statement from Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services on the Oct. 24 fire in Farwell. Image: Screenshot of the statement by Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services

Revelstokemountaineer.com contacted Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services Fire Chief Steven DeRousie with a request for more information on the fatal Saturday fire, such as any preliminary determination on the cause.

DeRousie said because the fire was under investigation, he would not provide comment. He referred us to the Office of the Fire Commissioner, a Victoria-based organization that provides technical assistance and support for fire investigations.

There is no information official or otherwise to suggest the two fire incidents are related.

In a statement, Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services (RFRS) also lauded the actions of a resident, “who used a fire extinguisher to slow down the fire before firefighters arrived.”

RFRS said they were on scene within four minutes, and that 21 personnel and four trucks attended the fire.

RFRS provided a brief statement on the Oct. 28 fire. Here is the department’s statement:

An Oct. 28 statement by Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services on the Oct. 28 fire at River’s Edge Apartments. Image: Screenshot of Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services statement

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Revelstoke RCMP at 250-837-5255, or to contact Crime Stoppers.

Note: The story has been updated. An earlier version transposed the names of the two men who helped suppress the fire and notify residents.