RCMP in Port Alberni are investigating three suspicious deaths that occurred within a nine-day period in early August, raising concern among residents on Vancouver Island. The incidents began with an early-morning house fire, followed by a car found ablaze containing human remains, and concluded with a fatal assault. Authorities have confirmed all three deaths are under active investigation by both the RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service.
Cpl. Alex Bérubé, media relations officer for the RCMP, said it is too early to determine whether the deaths are connected. “The risks to the public remain unknown at this time,” he said, emphasizing the importance of public cooperation in advancing investigations. Local residents are anxious for updates as they monitor ongoing investigations. John Robert, who has lived in Port Alberni for 43 years, expressed concern on social media. “We’ve been here waiting, holding our breath to hear something. The only thing we’ve been told is that an investigation is underway,” he said. The city is already tense due to the nearby Mount Underwood and Wesley Ridge wildfires, which have heightened residents’ unease.
On August 6, a vehicle fire drew local attention in the early hours at a gravel lot on the 3700-block of 4th Avenue. Trevor Bertrand reported receiving a call from a neighbor about the fire and rushed to the scene, only to discover a burnt body inside the car. “It wasn’t a pretty sight,” Bertrand said. He later confirmed his daughter, who struggles with addiction, was safe. RCMP confirmed the presence of unidentified human remains and are requesting footage or information from the area between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on that day. The car was located in a part of town near an overdose prevention site and the Wālyaqił Tiny Home Village, which provides support for vulnerable residents. Bertrand said the incident has unsettled the small community but remains confident in the RCMP’s investigation.
Four days earlier, emergency crews responded to a house fire on the 2000-block of 16th Avenue. Firefighters rescued a man and a woman from the fully engulfed home. The woman survived with serious injuries, while the man later died in hospital. The man’s death is being treated as suspicious. Forensic investigators and the Office of the Fire Commissioner have examined the scene. Police are requesting any video footage from the neighborhood between 10:30 p.m. on August 1 and 1:30 a.m. on August 2.
The third death occurred on August 10 following reports of an assault near Johnston Road and Victoria Quay. Police found a man with severe injuries, who later died in hospital. RCMP are withholding his identity while investigating the circumstances surrounding his death. Residents are urging authorities to provide updates as anxiety grows. John Robert said, “We have the Mount Underwood fire just outside our community as well, so it’s been a wild couple of weeks.”
The B.C. Coroners Service and RCMP have declined to share additional details, citing ongoing investigations. Port Alberni’s mayor has not responded to requests for comment. The RCMP continue to appeal for information from the public to help advance these investigations and determine whether the three deaths are connected.
