Ferndale police arrest juvenile in December Star Park arson investigation

Authorities have arrested at least one person in connection with a December fire at Star Park in Ferndale that was determined to be arson.

After applying for a search warrant, Ferndale Police investigators, with assistance from Bellingham Police, were able to collect digital evidence that devices were in the area at the time of the fire.

On a device located in the area, investigators discovered a photo of a burning trash can and a video of several people near the fire. The scene in the video matches the location of the fire.

The video also shows people throwing toilet paper into the fire while saying, “Hurry up, hurry up. It’s about to go out,” the press release said.

Investigators arrested an unknown number of juvenile suspects, one of whom was taken into juvenile detention on May 21.

Officers responded to a report of a fire at approximately 2 a.m. on Dec. 27 at the Star Park picnic shelter in the 5400 block of Ferndale Road.

When Ferndale police and Whatcom County Sheriff’s officers arrived, they found a trash can attached to the property engulfed in flames, according to a Ferndale police news release. They used a fire extinguisher to smother the fire and prevent further damage.

They also found that a nearby bathroom was damaged.

At the time, officers used sniffer dogs and drones to search for possible suspects. They were assisted by the sheriff’s office and the Bellingham police. No suspects could be located immediately.

The damage is estimated at $5,000.