Man charged with arson after vehicle fire that delayed Nanaimo passenger ferry, police say

Hullo ferries in Nanaimo. (CTV News)

A 41-year-old man has been charged with arson after a bizarre incident that delayed Hullo ferry sailings in Nanaimo Friday.

As passengers were lining up at the terminal around 4 p.m., the man jumped the fence and began running down the dock toward a utility van, Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson R/Const. Gary O’Brien told CTV News Saturday.

O’Brien said the man then broke into the van and used items inside of it to create a “homemade torch,” which he used to light the vehicle on fire.

Police responded to the scene and took the man into custody while firefighters put out the blaze.

The Nanaimo-bound ferry en route from Vancouver was unable to dock for more than an hour as firefighters assessed the scene and ensured it was safe, O’Brien said.

No one was injured in the incident and there was no damage to any property other than the vehicle, he added.

O’Brien said the suspect was held in custody overnight and charged with one count of arson. He was released on bail with conditions banning him from attending the Hullo terminal and from possessing incendiary devices.

His next court appearance is scheduled for March 24. O’Brien did not share the man’s name, describing him only as someone “new to Nanaimo.”