3 escape suspicious morning fire at Behchoko house

Three people escaped unhurt from a suspicious fire that destroyed a family home in Behchoko, N.W.T., early Thursday morning.

Local fire officials say the blaze started around 2:15 a.m. MT at a two-storey, single-family house on Bay Island in Rae, which is part of Behchoko.

All nine firefighters in Behchoko's fire department responded to the blaze, extinguishing most of it by 11 a.m. No other houses were affected.

"The fire is deemed to be suspicious," Behchoko RCMP Cpl. Maria Williams told CBC News on Thursday.

"We have one individual in custody at this time, and we're still investigating."

Williams would not name the man being held in custody, only saying that he was arrested at a different location around 10 a.m. Thursday.

Charges may be laid against the man later Thursday or Friday, depending on the results of the RCMP investigation, Williams added.

Officers spent Thursday interviewing the house's residents as well as several witnesses. Meanwhile, the fire continued to smoulder in the afternoon.

Williams described the house as unstable and unlivable, saying it will likely be written off.

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