The William R. Bennett Bridge in Kelowna has reopened after being closed for more than 10 hours following an early morning incident on Jan. 27 in which a man set his vehicle on fire, prompting a response from the RCMP’s explosive disposal unit.
At roughly 3:45 a.m., Kelowna RCMP officers responded to reports of a distraught man who had parked his white panel van across both eastbound lanes of the bridge, which connects West Kelowna to downtown Kelowna. The man made threatening comments about his own well-being before setting fire to the vehicle, according to police.
Officers were able to persuade the man to exit the vehicle, apprehending him and taking him to hospital. Police have not confirmed whether he sustained any injuries from the fire, but they said no one else was injured in the incident.
While firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, the situation escalated when police became concerned about the van’s contents.
“The known contents of the van alone present a significant risk to public safety,” Kelowna Central RCMP Insp. Chris Gable told a press conference on Jan. 27, adding that searching the vehicle would put emergency personnel at risk.
The RCMP’s explosives disposal unit from the Lower Mainland responded and the vehicle was towed from the bridge at about 2 p.m.
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An individual posted on Facebook at around 7 a.m. on Jan. 27, claiming responsibility for the incident and stating that the vehicle was carrying highly volatile material. The man listed several grievances, including financial losses, and directed blame at multiple parties, including the police. However, the police have not confirmed the post or the identity of the suspect.
The Epoch Times contacted the RCMP’s “E” division for comment but didn’t hear back as of publication time.
