Kamloops home torched days after search

A Kamloops home went up in flames overnight just days after it was searched by police. An officer patrolling the area spot the 1315 Tranquille Road home up in flames around 3 a.m., April 20. Emergency crews soon had the house surrounded as firefighters doused the flames, according to Wayne, a neighbour who didn't provide his last name. He said police woke him up and said to get an evacuation pack ready as a precaution. READ MORE: RCMP tight-lipped about serious crime investigation at Kamloops home https://infotel.ca/newsitem/rcmp-tight-lipped-about-serious-crime-investigation-at-kamloops-home/it104303 He saw firefighters smash windows to get access, while BC Hydro cut power to the home. Although he couldn't see flames, the house was billowing smoke. The same home was guarded by police for four days last week until Kamloops RCMP got a search warrant. Police didn't say what they were looking for, leaving area residents in the dark as forensic investigators and the serious crime unit scoured the home. It's not clear what, if anything, they seized. A search warrant has not so far been made public through court records. "It's like your headline this week: they're tight-lipped https://infotel.ca/newsitem/rcmp-tight-lipped-about-serious-crime-investigation-at-kamloops-home/it104303 ," Wayne said. Another neighbour, who did not provide his name, was frustrated with the lack of information police have been giving about the house, both about the search warrant and now what appears to be an arson. He suspects residents in the house were involved with drug trafficking. "Don't they usually send out press releases about these?" he said. READ MORE: Squatters sent packing after downtown Kamloops arson https://infotel.ca/newsitem/squatters-sent-packing-after-downtown-kamloops-arson/it104221 He added that a drone flying around the neighbourhood, previously mentioned in iNFOnews reporting, was piloted by a resident of the home. The interior of the home appears to be heavily damaged, while the exterior was left largely spared by the fire, aside from the smashed windows. It's not clear whether anyone was inside at the time, but neighbours suggested tenants did not return after the search beyond a brief visit. No one answered when police had left and iNFOnews visited earlier this week. It's also not known whether anyone was arrested, if police have a suspect following the fire, or whether it's related to spate of suspicious fires in recent weeks. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/squatters-sent-packing-after-downtown-kamloops-arson/it104221 To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry mailto:llandry@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .