Suspected drug operation found in Burnaby during house fire

Burnaby firefighters discovered a suspected clandestine drug operation while fighting a fire in a residential neighbourhood late Friday night.

Crews first responded to a report of a basement fire in a house on Manor Street around 10 p.m. PT.

The residents made it out safely, but were detained by RCMPfor questioningafter firefighters discovered what they believed to be a drug operation in the basement.

"At that point the assistant fire chief on scene had all crews removed, and as of right now it's an RCMP crime scene," said Deputy Chief Dave Samson.

Hazmat teams searched house

Burnaby RCMP's hazmat team was called in after the fire was extinguished to investigate the materials found inside the basement of the house.

Police at thescene said the house may have been a solvent extraction site, a place where chemicals from common medications are extracted to eventually be used in creating illegal substances.

Neighbouring houses were evacuated after the discovery, but those residents were permitted back inside after it was determined thatthere was no threat.

Police arrested the occupants of the house, three women and twoyouth, immediately after they escaped the building.

The RCMP Drug Team has taken over the investigation while neighbours say they're surprised by the discovery.

"It was just a lot of flames burning," saidKimberly Valle."Nobody expected it to be a chemical burn or a meth lab."

"Scary? of course its scary, never know what's going to happen next, drugs, guns?" said neighbourDinoNonas.

Meanwhile Valle added that the people who occupied the home kept to themselves and did not mingle with neighbours, many of who have children and have lived in the area for decades.