A fire that destroyed a street church in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and displaced dozens of residents from a neighbouring low-income hotel is now being investigated as arson.
Vancouver police have released video of three people they believe sparked the July 6 fire in the 100 block of East Hastings Street.
It destroyed a two-storey building that housed a church and a convenience store and threatened the seven-storey Maple Hotel, temporarily displacing vulnerable residents.
Police say video uncovered during the investigation shows three people lighting a fire in a laneway alcove behind the street church.
The video, taken at around 9 p.m. on the night of the fire, shows flames flickering in the alcove before the suspects walk away as smoke begins to billow out.
Police have also released photographs of the three suspects and are now asking for help in identifying them.