Regina apartment fire under criminal investigation

Both criminal and drug charges could be laid, police say

Image | Apartment fire cathedral Regina

Caption: A criminal investigation is underway after a fire on Sunday caused residents to flee from an apartment building in Regina's Cathedral area. (Stephanie Taylor/CBC)

A criminal investigation is underway in relation to a July 2 apartment fire that took place on Robinson Street in Regina.
At least one individual could be facing charges under both the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in relation to the fire, said Regina Police Service spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich.
The fire, which seemed to originate in a basement-level suite, caused the entire building to be evacuated and residents have not yet been let back into their homes.
As of Tuesday, the Regina Fire Department said the reason residents couldn't return to the building was because its alarm system had not been reactivated.
One of the building's residents told CBC she had heard what sounded like an explosion before leaving the building to escape the fire.
However, investigators couldn't find evidence of an explosion in the badly damaged suite, according to the fire department.
No cause for the fire could be determined, given the extent of the damage caused by the blaze.