Arson charge laid in Panorama Hills house fire

Arson charges laid in house fire A Calgary man is facing charges after a family of six had to flee a house fire. Jordan Kanygin reports.

A Calgary man has been charged in connection to a fire that caused significant damage to a home in the city’s northwest last week.

Emergency crews were called to a blaze at a home in the 200 block of Panamount Court N.W. at about 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7.

Six people were in the home at the time of the fire but managed to get out safely after they were alerted by a neighbour.

“The next door neighbour may very well have saved their lives by alerting them to the fire, just got up and knocked on their door, and woke them and got them out, told them their home was on fire,” said CPS Detective Torrey Killam.

Damage to the home was extensive and an investigation into the cause determined that the fire was intentionally set.

Police obtained CCTV footage from nearby homes that showed a man walking and driving near the home at about the time the fire was started and that led them to a suspect.

“We had some good evidence right off the start and cooperation from the public provided information that helped us move forward very quickly,” said Detective Killam. “Anytime you have a fire in a home where there’s people in it, there’s a great risk of being overcome with smoke and it’s doubly so when they’re sleeping because by the time you’re alerted to it, the fire is much farther gone usually.”

Zhi Li, 55, of Calgary, is charged with arson causing damage to property and arson with a disregard for human life.

Investigators believe the home was targeted and the incident was the result of a personal dispute between the suspect and the residents of the home.