LANGFORD DRUG HOUSE BURNS

What police and Peatt Road neighbours call a notorious Langford drug
house was gutted by fire Wednesday morning.

Black smoke billowed from the rancher-style home at 2747 Peatt Rd. for
much of the morning as Langford firefighters pried apart the flooring
and the roof while hunting for smoldering hot spots.

Flames erupted from the home's south-side window when fire crews
arrived around 7:30 a.m.

Langford fire Chief Bob Beckett said the fire extinguished quickly but
the home suffered extensive smoke damage.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire and no one was found inside
during the preliminary search, Beckett said.

The house and its occupants had an unsavory reputation in the
neighbourhood for drug dealing and other criminal activity. Some
residents at the scene were heard to say "good riddance" and "let it
burn."

"It's a well known house for criminal activities," said West Shore
RCMP Const. Greg Doncaster. "(Police) are here regularly for various
illegal activities. It's well known for drugs and stolen property."

A Peatt Road property owner who requested to remain unidentified said
the home's occupants were a burden on the neighbourhood. People
associated with the house had squatted and committed break-and-enters
on other nearby homes, he said.

"I hope no one was hurt in the house," he said. "But at the end of the
day this was inevitable. "

As of Wednesday afternoon, the cause fo the blaze remained unknown and
Langford fire officials continued their investigation.