A significant house fire in Bowser just north of Nile Creek produced large volumes of smoke Monday afternoon. (Facebook)

By Ian Holmes

structure fire

Suspicious fire destroys Bowser home

Oct 14, 2025 | 12:03 PM

BOWSER — Oceanside RCMP were assigned to investigate a suspicious fire at a home north of Qualicum Beach.

Bow Horn Bay Volunteer Fire Department chief Mark Taylor said their crews were dispatched on Monday, Oct. 13 at 4:35 p.m. to a Bowser home on Islewood Dr. located off Island Hwy. West.

“I was first on scene, there was a significant amount of smoke, you could see it from a few minutes away,” Taylor told NanaimoNewsNOW.

While heavy smoke rose from the front of the home, the back side of the structure was fully engulfed in flames, Taylor noted.

As a result, fire crews had to initially take a defensive approach to knocking the fire down.

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“The exterior structure is still standing, but the interior on both floors is completely gutted.”

Several people inside the home at the time were able to escape unharmed, Taylor said.

“We switched from defensive to offensive and did an interior attack, put out the rest of the fire and then did all of the hotspots and do overhaul to make sure that it doesn’t re-ignite.”

Fire crews from Dashwood, Qualicum Beach and Coombs-Hilliers assisted Bow Horn Bay members under a mutual aid agreement.

In a Tuesday, Oct 14 news release, Oceanside RCMP stated a motorist had driven a vehicle into the home and moments later their detachment was informed the home was on fire.

Multiple RCMP resources responded and the suspect was arrested and transported to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

Dempsey Alan Meechan has been charged with dangerous driving, arson, assault with a weapon and mischief.

The 30-year-old Meechan remains in custody and has a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday.

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