ÌìÃÀÓ°Ôº

PENTICTON, B.C. – A massive fire that destroyed a care home under construction in Penticton, B.C., is being investigated as suspicious. 

RCMP say specialized investigators were only able to access the site Wednesday, a week after the fire that prompted the city to issue an evacuation order and declare a state of local emergency. 

Mounties say officers are conducting a criminal investigation and “exploring every possible avenue” to gather evidence and identify those responsible.

The site was supposed to become a 200-bed long-term care facility aimed at addressing acute local demands, and Health Minister Josie Osborne has called the fire “devastating” for the area’s seniors.

Residents of 10 homes nearby were evacuated due to an unstable crane at the site, but they were allowed back this week.

Police say fire investigators were also kept out of the site until it was considered safe this week. 

©2026 The Canadian Press