Campbell River house fire leaves one woman dead

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An investigation is underway after a house fire led to the death of one woman.

WATCH: A woman is dead and now investigators are trying to figure out what started the house fire that killed her. As Dean Stoltz reports, her husband escaped with minor injuries but their home and several vehicles were also destroyed.

Officials are investigating the cause of an early morning house fire in Campbell River that left one woman dead.

WATCH: Fire crews were called to a house fire in Campbell River early Monday morning. Stan Novotny/Submitted

CampellRiverHouseFireStanNovotny.MOV

CampellRiverHouseFireStanNovotny.MOV

Duration 40s

Fire on South Alder Street. Video courtesy of Stan Novotny.

Campbell River Fire Department crews were called to the two-storey home in the 800 block of South Alder Street shortly before 6 a.m. The house was fully engulfed when crews arrived on scene.

“When we arrived, we had fire on two floors on the back side of the building,” Campbell River Fire Chief Ian Baikie said.

“The front side was showing fire out of all the windows and doors on the second floor and there was involvement in the roof of course. It was a very progressed fire.”

According to officials, there were two occupants in the house at the time of the fire. A woman believed to be in her 60s died in the fire while her husband was able to escape.

“We were told there was a person still within the building. Our efforts were denied to get in the building because of the intensity of the fire initially,” Baikie said.

Dustin Abernethy said he was down the street when the fire broke out and he slowly walked up to the blaze. He then saw three or four cars burning.

“I did hear two or three pops, sounded like gunshots,” Abernethy said.

Four vehicles burned in the fire and there were propane tanks involved in the blaze. Four firetrucks and 20 firefighters were at the scene.

“We had explosions, both propane tanks were going off, there’s other shop supplies we’re not sure but pressurized vessels were exploding during the first hour of the fire.” said Baikie.


A woman is dead after a house fire in Campbell River. Dustin Abernethy Photography/Submitted


A woman is dead after a house fire in Campbell River. Dustin Abernethy Photography/Submitted


A woman is dead after a house fire in Campbell River. Dustin Abernethy Photography/Submitted


A woman is dead after a house fire in Campbell River. Dustin Abernethy Photography/Submitted


Fire crews and RCMP at the scene of a fatal house fire in Campbell River.

Alexa HuffmanAlexa Huffman

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