Police looking for two people who set Kitchener cabin on fire with someone inside

A fire that sent smoke billowing into the sky along Highway 8 in Kitchener Monday evening is being investigated as arson.

Emergency crews responded to a cabin on fire beside Walter Bean Trail near King Street East and Highway 8 around 6:30 p.m.

“I saw a lot of black smoke at first, I went by it a couple times because I was going to pick up a friend as well and over time I could tell it was being dealt with because the smoke changed colour,” said witness Jason Gruetzmacher.

Thick black smoke billows off a fire near Highway 8 and King Street in Kitchener. (Bashar Yafouz/Facebook)

The fire was visible for quite a distance.

“You could actually see the trees on fire like ten, fifteen feet above the tree line there,” said Elliot Courtney who works nearby.

It was a surprise to many after two rainy days.

“It’s really odd. We’ve had a couple days of heavy rain here, so it’s really unusual,” Courtney said. “We went up to the top of the hill there and we could see the top of the fire."

In a media release issued around noon on Tuesday, Waterloo regional police said two people set the structure on fire while a third person was inside. The pair also threatened the occupant with a weapon.

According to police, Kitchener Fire extinguished the flames and no injuries were reported.

Smoke could be seen from Highway 8, near the exit to King Street East. (CTV News/Dave Pettit)

“Our crews just had to determine the best way to the fire and in this case, they determined that the access off of King Street East along the trail was best and it was safe and stable,” said Chris Davidson, deputy chief of the Kitchener Fire Department.

Police said investigators believe the incident was targeted.

There was a heavy police presence in the area, including the nearby Hidden Valley neighbourhood, while officers searched for the two suspects.

“I saw a couple of police cars pulled over on the side of the highway, I know there’s some homeless people living back there so I was just hoping people were OK,” said Gruetzmacher. “I sort of assumed it got started accidentally or something. It was cold yesterday so that’s what I was thinking.”

Police said they've identified the suspects, but haven't released any descriptions.

As of Tuesday afternoon, they still haven't been found.

As the search continues, police are appealing for tips in the case.

Police on scene Tuesday. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV Kitchener)