Police Take Major Action in Burnaby Hospital Fire Case After Six-Year Investigation

Police have charged a 29-year-old Alberta man in connection with a fire at Burnaby Hospital in 2020, following an investigation that lasted nearly six years.

Burnaby RCMP said the B.C. Prosecution Service approved charges against Yu Yun Wang on September 8, including arson and endangering human life.

The fire broke out on November 15, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the hospital’s mental health services wing. The blaze caused millions of dollars in damage, forced the emergency department to close and led to the evacuation of patients.

Police said the suspect was identified in 2023 after investigators determined he had moved from B.C. to Alberta. Burnaby RCMP worked with Edmonton police and other local police agencies to advance the investigation.

According to police, Wang is currently being held in an Alberta jail on an unrelated matter. He could be brought before a B.C. court in the near future.