London police say a fire over the weekend on Bonaventure Drive near Admiral Drive has been deemed suspicious.
Police also say that damage is now estimated at $1 million, up from an earlier estimate from the fire department of $400,000.
The fire on Saturday morning burned down a townhouse and damaged its adjacent units, one of which belonged to Maggie McPherson and her family.
The pregnant mother thought she heard a bang, but when she looked out the window, she could almost touch the flames if she reached her hand out.
McPherson, who is due to give birth in late March, woke up her 13-year-old daughter and grabbed their dog. Together, they all ran outside without shoes or jackets. They stood in the cold, watching their neighbour’s house burn down.
“We lost everything,” the mother said. “The smoke and water damage at my house is extensive. The fire department wouldn’t even let me walk (into my home) because the CO2 levels were so bad.”
A GoFundMe campaign for the family has raised over $24,000 as of Monday morning.
The London Fire Department has said that no injuries were reported in the fire.
The London Police Service is asking anyone with information to contact them at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
— with files from Global News’ Kelly Wang.
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