Port Alberni sawmill fire deemed suspicious

The City of Port Alberni purchased the property in 2021 and work is being done to dismantle the mill to make way for development. (Port Alberni Fire Department)

A fire that tore through an abandoned sawmill in Port Alberni over the weekend has been deemed suspicious by investigators.

"There is no power to the building and contractors that were on site weren't working in that area," says Port Alberni fire Chief Mike Owens.

"Just through process of elimination, we determined it to be suspicious to the point to involve the RCMP."

Firefighters responded to the old Somass Mill site on Harbour Road just before 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Fire and heavy smoke was visible in the the northwest corner of the building when they arrived.

Crews worked for four hours to put out the fire and came back a couple times to put out lingering hot spots.

The City of Port Alberni purchased the property in 2021 and work is being done to dismantle the mill to make way for development.