A woman is charged with arson in connection with a Whalley fourplex fire on May 6.
Tina Marie Harper, 39, appeared in Surrey provincial court on Monday charged with one count of arson.
Twelve people were checked over by a BC Ambulance crew and two were taken to hospital to be treated for for smoke inhalation following the two-alarm fire in the 10900-block of 132A Street.
"We have an emergency service plan taking care of some displaced people," Assistant Chief Mike McNamara said at the time.
Surrey Police Service Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said an SPS officer on patrol spotted the fire.
"Surrey Fire Service was called and while a neighbour tried to extinguish the flames with a garden hose, SPS officers quickly evacuated several residents from adjacent residences," he said. "As officers were searching the properties for additional residents who might be in danger and speaking with witnesses, a woman was detained and arrested as a suspect in connection with the fire."
Twenty-four firefighters helped put out the fire. "Crews arrived, had some flames and smoke on arrival but managed to get a quick knock-down," McNamara said.
No firefighters were injured.
"It's a good opportunity to remind people to have working smoke alarms," McNamara said. Asked if there were working alarms in this case, he replied, "I don't believe that it did. I don't think there's any working smoke alarms in place."
