Police arrest man after suspected Langara College arson leads to evacuation
Person entered college campus and lit 'one or more' fires before fleeing the scene, police say
Vancouver police have arrested a man in his 20s in connection with a suspected arson at Langara College.
The school was evacuated around 1 p.m. on Monday because of a fire that police at the time said may have been deliberately set.
In a statement, police said a man entered the school with incendiary devices.
"It appears the suspect may have lit one or more fires before fleeing from the scene," the statement read in part.
Police say the suspect was quickly identified, once officers arrived on the scene. He was arrested in Surrey by Metro Vancouver Transit Police just after 4 p.m. and is now in custody.
The college said the campus, which is on West 49th Avenue in Vancouver, will remain closed Tuesday after classes and exams were cancelled Monday.
School search ongoing
The Vancouver Police Department said its officers, along with B.C. Ambulance and Langara staff, helped firefighters get everyone out of the school.
Officers then explored the building to look for any other dangers. The search was expected to continue into the night.
First responders are asking people to avoid West 49th Avenue from Ontario to Alberta streets.
It appears that the fire may have been deliberately set. Police are on-site to ensure the safety of staff, students & residents of the neighborhood.<br><br>Officers are systematically going through the school to identify any additional hazards. <br><br>No injuries have been reported. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPD</a> <a href="https://t.co/NiGJ0GEeSX">https://t.co/NiGJ0GEeSX</a>
—@VancouverPDThe school first reported an "incident" in its "T" building at about 11:30 a.m. PT Monday. That building was evacuated and the library closed while firefighters attended. The entire school would be cleared out 1½ hours later.
Langara is posting updates on its website and Twitter feed.
