There were some scary moments for seven people including five kids living in a home in Mill Bay this morning.
One woman living in the basement of the 2-storey Telegraph Road house woke up to the sounds of children’s screams to find the home was being consumed by fire.
“I woke up from screaming upstairs, from the renters above, and I looked out the window and it was bright, not sunshine bright,” said Lita Litken.
“I grabbed the dog, who is just a puppy, and my boyfriends dog and I opened the door and it was just fire, so I ran upstairs and they’re all screaming upstairs, so I got them out as well.”
Mill Bay Fire crews got the call just after 8 a.m. and arrived to find the deck and the back of the house engulfed in flames.
“Its a total loss, the fire started in the patio section and went straight through the building,” said Mill Bay Fire Chief Ron Beck.
“By the time we got here, the fire had extended basically through the rest of the house.”
Shawnigan Lake and Cowichan Bay Fire Departments were also called in.
All seven people inside at the time including children aged 7 to 14, as well as four dogs, escaped without injury.
Its believed none of the tenants had insurance.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Ben O'Hara
