Photo: Castanet

Police have spent at least the past two days stationed outside a home that caught fire days after investigators left the house following the execution of a search warrant.

UPDATE: 3:15 p.m.

Mounties are searching for two suspects seen fleeing on bicycles after a suspected arson at a Tranquille Road home that had very recently been raided by police.

The fire was discovered just before 3 a.m. Saturday by a police officer who saw smoke coming from the house at 1315 Tranquille Rd. while out on a patrol.

RCMP Cpl. Crystal Evelyn said the officer called in backup and Kamloops Fire Rescue, then banged on the front door to alert residents but no one was home. Officers also evacuated neighbouring homes in case the fire spread.

“KFR arrived on scene shortly after, extinguished the blaze, and confirmed the house had been unoccupied,” Evelyn said.

Evelyn said a police presence has remained on scene ever since the fire to secure the residence for the attendance of a Kamloops RCMP fire investigator, working in collaboration with KFR.

"A police presence remained outside the residence until it was deemed safe for fire investigators to enter," Evelyn said.

She said police collected security footage from the area that showed two people on bikes nearby at the time the fire started. They appeared to have left in the direction of McArthur Island.

In the release, Evelyn said the motive behind the suspected arson, and if it is related to any of the other recent suspicious North Shore fires is under investigation.

Evelyn made no mention of whether police suspect the fire was connected to their recent multi-day presence at the property.

Anyone with information or video that may be related to this incident is asked to phone the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000.

ORIGINAL STORY: 1:03 p.m.

Kamloops Mounties have maintained a presence outside a home in the 1300-block of Tranquille Road that caught fire overnight on Saturday — days after police finished executing a search warrant inside.

The house fire occurred just four days after police spent about five days investigating at the home at 1315 Tranquille Rd., which sits in the corner of Barrie Drive.

The Kamloops RCMP’s general investigations support team, serious crimes unit and forensic identification service were among the investigators present earlier this month when police searched the house. Police were gone by April 17.

RCMP Cpl. Crystal Evelyn would not disclose the reason for the initial police presence at the home, in order to protect the integrity of their investigation.

The house remained standing following the suspicious fire, but the interior appeared charred by flames and multiple windows appeared to have been broken.

As of Tuesday morning it remained surrounded by police tape, with a lone security guard and single Mountie stationed outside.

A police vehicle was also observed outside the home on Monday, as well.

Photo: Castanet